A few Nigerian celebrities have banded together to show their support for the #EndSARS movement.
Yvonne Orji, Jidenna, Cynthia Erivo, Jackie Aina, Uzo Aduba and Luvvi Ajayi Jones are some of the famous faces that appeared in a video calling to #EndSARS and the overall corruption of the Nigerian police.
“Over the last two weeks, we have seen young Nigerians rise with the courage and determination to stand up against injustice, corruption and abusive power by the police and specifically the special anti-robbery unit also known as SARS,” the public figures said.
“‘Police is your friend.’ That’s the official motto of the Nigerian police, but friends don’t extort, rape, steal, torture or murder,” they continued. “We join with all our brothers and sisters who are rising to declare enough is enough.”
The Nigerian celebrities went on to demand justice for the lives lost as a result of police brutality and called for all those in power to dissolve SARS and enforce the Nigerian constitution which includes amendments made after the anti-SARS protests in 2017.
“We need transparency and accountability because corruption is a disease that can only be completed with clear processes that are open to the public,” Jidenna is heard saying.
The celebrities referred to the movement as “the start of a beautiful revolution” and announced they “stand united” in their requests for accountability, respect for human rights and justice.
“We demand justice, and we demand it now,” they said. “Nigerians are rising, Africans are rising, the diaspora is rising, so we call on all our elected leaders to rise and listen to the people. Our lives matter.”
Although Nigerian artists Davido and Burna Boy weren’t in the video, they’ve also expressed their desires to see the elimination of the special anti-robbery squad. On Oct. 11, after the unit was officially disbanded, Burna told fans that the fight to end police brutality is “not over yet,” adding, “More needs to be done.”