Activist, Aisha Yesufu, speaks to GBENRO ADEOYE about #EndSARS protests, threats on her life by some northerners, among other issues
There is a viral picture of you with one hand raised which has been a symbol for Nigerians protesting against police brutality. How does that make you feel?
It doesn’t make me feel anything because it is something I have done over and over again, at any protest, where you have the police trying to brutalise or attack people.
I have always had my fist in the air and stood like that. So for me, it is not something I sit down to think about. It is just a bit weird that in this particular case, it went viral and people look at it differently. But I’m happy with the fact that a lot of people take courage and solace from that picture and know that no matter what is being thrown at them by the government, they can afford to resist, be defiant and continue to stand for something good for themselves and the country.
Now that the #EndSARS protests have stopped, following which there was so much looting and vandalism; what is the status of the agitation?
The looting was caused by the government and done by its sponsored thugs. What we have learnt is that Nigerians are always ready to blame the victim rather than the perpetrator and that needs to stop. We need to put the blame squarely where it should be put – and that is on the government. They have ascribed the looting to the #EndSARS protesters who were peaceful and organised. Even when the government brought thugs to attack them, and looting and destruction of their belongings started under the watchful eyes of security agents, they did the right thing. We saw military vehicles transporting thugs, policemen and other security agents who supervised the activities of the thugs.
They attacked the #EndSARS protesters and injured some of them. But Nigerians kept quiet. Even when some of the thugs were apprehended by the #EndSARS protesters and handed over to the police, the police refused to arrest them. Then the thugs suddenly turned on the government and started attacking and looting public and private property. The government must take full responsibility for that.
Many people are saying the protests should have been stopped after the government conceded and disbanded SARS, and that the protesters should have engaged the government to see how the other demands would be met. They think that would have prevented the looting from happening…
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