Former Governor of Osun State and ex-Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Bisi Akande, has alleged that the 2020 #EndSARS protest was not just a demonstration against police brutality but a carefully orchestrated plan to end the political career of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Akande made the claim in a recent interview on State Affairs, a podcast hosted by journalist Edmund Obilo. He stated that the movement behind the protest, which he identified as the “Obidients”—supporters of the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi—was responsible for organizing and funding the demonstrations from the United States.
#EndSARS: A Movement or a Conspiracy?
The #EndSARS protests, which erupted in October 2020, saw thousands of Nigerians take to the streets, demanding the abolition of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a notorious unit of the Nigeria Police Force accused of extrajudicial killings, extortion, and human rights abuses. The movement, driven largely by young Nigerians, quickly gained global support, with celebrities and activists lending their voices to the cause.
However, according to Akande, there was more to the protests than met the eye. He claimed that the entire movement was a political plot aimed at destroying Tinubu, who at the time was a key figure in the ruling APC and was widely believed to be preparing for a presidential bid.
“#EndSARS was aimed to be the end of Tinubu. Yes, #EndSARS was designed to be the end of Tinubu. Those behind the #EndSARS knew that’s what they were doing,” Akande said during the interview.
The Role of the Obidients
While the #EndSARS protests were seen as an organic movement fueled by frustration over police brutality, Akande alleged that it was actually driven by the Obidient movement, a group that later became the political support base for Peter Obi in the 2023 presidential election.
“What do you call them? The Obidients were behind #EndSARS. Yes, it was manufactured from America and was brought in just to stop him (Tinubu). I’m not saying Obi. The Obidients came from America to do the #EndSARS,” he insisted.
His claims, however, raise questions about the timeline of the Obidient movement. While the #EndSARS protests took place in 2020, the Obidient movement did not formally emerge until 2022, when Obi defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to contest the presidency under the Labour Party.
When asked if Peter Obi himself was directly involved in the alleged plot, Akande was noncommittal, saying, “Maybe Obi’s party, I don’t know. Maybe Obi’s movement, I don’t know. But the Obidients were behind the #EndSARS. It was well planned, organised with a lot of money from America.”
Foreign Funding Allegations
A significant part of Akande’s claim revolves around alleged foreign involvement in the protests. He suggested that the protests were not merely an outpouring of public anger but a well-funded operation with resources coming from the United States.
Although he did not provide concrete evidence to support his assertion, his comments align with previous claims by some APC supporters that the #EndSARS movement was hijacked by external forces to destabilize the government.
This is not the first time such allegations have surfaced. In the wake of the protests, government officials and pro-APC voices suggested that international organizations and foreign interests played a role in amplifying the demonstrations. The Nigerian government even froze bank accounts of some protest organizers and cracked down on fundraising platforms like Flutterwave, which was used to collect donations for protesters.
Why Tinubu Did Not See It Coming
During the interview, Akande was also asked why Tinubu, a seasoned politician with decades of experience, did not foresee the alleged plot against him.
“Not every ambush is detected,” he replied.
This statement suggests that Tinubu and his allies may have underestimated the scale and impact of the #EndSARS movement until it was too late.
The protests eventually culminated in the now-infamous Lekki Toll Gate shooting on October 20, 2020, when security forces allegedly opened fire on unarmed protesters. The incident intensified national and international scrutiny on the Nigerian government, with Tinubu himself facing backlash due to his perceived closeness to the Lagos State government.
Despite winning the 2023 presidential election, Tinubu’s connection to the #EndSARS protests remains a sensitive issue. Many young Nigerians still associate him with the events of October 2020, especially in Lagos, where he wielded significant influence.
His presidency has also faced resistance from some of the same demographics that championed the protests. The Obidient movement, now a political force in its own right, continues to challenge the APC-led government, making Akande’s comments even more controversial.
