The State and Accountable Policing: A Diagnosis of #ENDSARS Movement in Nigeria

Abstract

The functions and actions of a State represent and characterize what it is. Police, as the most visible institution in a civil society, represent the character of the government within a State. In line with this thought, the actions of the ‘Special Anti-Robbery Squad – SARS’, a unit in the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), attracted the ire of the public against the government which led to international anti-police brutality campaign known as ‘#EndSARS Movement’. Among other concerns, the study sought to address the question – ‘Can activism in criminology like the “#EndSARS Movement” make the police accountable to the citizens?’