Once again, the Nigerian people are being pushed to the wall. Once again, the lives of the poor and voiceless are being trampled upon by those sworn to protect them. Once again, the Nigerian Police Force—specifically the rogue elements within it—have taken up arms not against crime, but against the very people they are paid to serve.
Let it be said without mincing words: police brutality and extortion in Nigeria are state-sanctioned terrorism against the masses. Every day, our youths are harassed, beaten, tortured, and in many cases, murdered in cold blood for simply owning a smartphone, wearing dreadlocks, or driving a decent car. Every day, hard-working Nigerians are extorted at illegal checkpoints, coerced into parting with their hard-earned money under the barrel of a gun.
As the Lagos State Coordinator of the Take It Back Movement, I, Adekunle Adeyemi Taofeek, popularly known as Scotty Aluta, have stood on the frontlines of this struggle. From leading protests against illegal arrests and detention, to mobilizing our people against the tyranny of CP tactical squad (advanced unit of the disbanded SARS) and other rogue police units, I have made it clear: we will not be silent while our people are being slaughtered and extorted.
We saw it during the #EndSARS uprising. We saw the courage of Nigerian youths who demanded justice, dignity, and the right to live without fear. And what did the state respond with? Bullets. Blood. Lies. And a continued campaign of intimidation and repression.
But we are not deterred.
As an activist, I have personally intervened in cases where young people were unlawfully detained in Lagos and outside Lagos. I have led delegations to police stations to demand their release. I have challenged senior police officers to their faces, calling out their abuses and holding them accountable. With the Take It Back Movement, we have organized town halls, street protests, legal aid initiatives, and public awareness campaigns to expose and dismantle this criminal enterprise disguised as law enforcement.
Let the IG of Police and all corrupt officers hear this loud and clear: the people are watching, the people are organizing, and the people will resist. We will no longer allow our streets to be turned into hunting grounds. We will no longer allow uniforms to be used as tools of oppression. And we will no longer tolerate the silence of political leaders who look the other way while the blood of our youth stains our soil.
This fight is not just about police reform. It is about a radical transformation of our justice system. It is about ending impunity at all levels. It is about taking back our country from the hands of tyrants, both in khaki and in agbada.
To every Nigerian out there: this is your fight too. Speak up. Rise up. Organize in your communities. Document every abuse. Support grassroots movements. Join us in saying: No to brutality. No to extortion. No to injustice.
We will not back down. We will not be silenced. We will take it back!
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