THE ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA DURING THE ENDSARS PROTEST

ABSTRACT

The study investigated the role of social media during the ENDSARS protest. The 2020 #EndSARS protest represents one incident where the potential of social media was harnessed to foster a cause among the youths in Nigeria. Social media are the cheapest and fastest means of communication especially when it comes to issues that catch the attention of youths like the #EndSARS protest. Social media seem to have helped to define the problem on how #EndSARS started; set the objectives of stopping SARS by staging a movement both online and offline; calling for protest, demonstration, marches and civil disobedience as strategies. The impact of social media on the #EndSARS protest in Nigeria was profound and far-reaching. The #EndSARS movement, which began in 2020, sought to address police brutality and advocate for police reform in the country. Social media platforms played a pivotal role in catalyzing, organizing, and amplifying the protest's message. Social media provided a platform for protesters to share their personal experiences and stories of police brutality, sparking a sense of solidarity among Nigerians.