If there is an African country that should understand the relationship between heavy-handed responses by law enforcement and the escalation of violence, it is Nigeria. The country is yet to grasp how extortion, torture and extrajudicial killings continue to produce a cycle of violence.

The #EndSARS (End Special Anti-Robbery Squad) protests in Nigeria are a call for massive reforms not only in the police institution but also the wider security sector that involves counter-terrorism.

For decades, the police body responsible for protecting citizens from these acts has been the chief offender. The protests are motivated by the need for accountable and responsible policing, as well as an overhaul of the security sector.

Guest: Dr Akin Olojo - Senior Researcher | Institute of Security Studies (Dakar, Senegal)