End SARS and Post Lockdown Insecurity in South Eastern Nigeria

ABSTRACT

The COVID-19-driven lockdown witnessed an unimaginable degree of suffering and hardship in different parts of the globe, leading to protests. This study focused on the EndSARS protests and the changing nature of insecurity that emerged in southeastern Nigeria as a result of the protests. The study used key informant interviews to gather primary data and also selected secondary data. The data were analysed using frustration-aggression theory. The study revealed that the EndSARS protests weakened the policing and the security architecture in southeastern Nigeria, thereby giving rise to the emergence and growth of unknown gunmen, Yahoo plus-driven killings, robbery, sit-at-home killings, etc. The study recommended the use of advance security gadgets like CCTV cameras in tracking the criminal hideouts in Igboland and the utilisation of multi-dimensional post conflict peacebuilding strategies for destroyed police buildings as the path to the management of insecurity in the southeastern region of Nigeria.