In a scathing exposé, investigative journalist and activist Agba Jalingo has revealed the shocking truth behind the #EndSARS protests in Calabar, which turned violent on October 23rd and 24th, 2020. Contrary to the popular narrative that blames peaceful protesters for the mayhem, Jalingo’s findings, based on the Senate Joint Committee’s report, point to a more sinister plot involving politicians and security agencies.

The report, chaired by Senator Ibrahim Gobir, reveals that the violence was “largely spontaneous and a free reign for amorphous groups, gangs, and criminals.” Senator Bassey Ewa Henshaw, a victim of the protest, testified that the attacks were orchestrated by politicians who perceived them as political enemies. The report also highlights the displacement of the Bakassi people, who were turned into militants after their homeland was ceded to Cameroon.

The committee’s findings indicate that security agencies failed to respond promptly to distress calls, allowing the violence to escalate. The police claimed to have arrested 106 suspects, mostly from Akwa Ibom, but there is no record of their prosecution or punishment.

Jalingo raises critical questions about the whereabouts of the arrested suspects and the beneficiaries of the destruction. He alleges that senior officials in the current state government sponsored some of the activities during the #EndSARS protests.

The report’s findings contradict the popular narrative that peaceful protesters were responsible for the mayhem. Instead, it points to a complex web of political intrigue, security failures, and criminal activity. Jalingo urges the public to stop criminalizing people’s rights to peaceful assembly and focus on holding the actual culprits accountable.

The revelations are similar to contents of videos in circulation, which indicated security operatives, when they dropped off some young people who attacked #EndSARS protesters in some parts of the country, including Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

The revelations have equally spotlighed the need for accountability and justice for the victims of #EndSars protests and punishment for those responsible.

As the truth begins to unravel, it is, clear that the #EndSARS protests in Calabar, and parts of the country, were merely a symptom of a larger problem, one that requires a thorough investigation and reckoning.

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