SocialMediaTrends: #SideWithNigeria, queer lives matter, Benin prisonbreak and other stories

Conversations on social media platforms have continued to be mostly about the #EndSARS protests, which have been ongoing across Nigeria for over 10 days.

On Twitter, hastags like #EndPoliceBrutality #EndBadGovernance, #Sorosoke247 recieved maximum engagements on Monday, as the dynamics of the protests made remarkable steps.

Protesters have also continued to leverage on the platform to strategize and communicate as the demonstrations grow violent in major parts of the country. Here are some of the hastags that caught our attention:

Prisoners, Benin

The #EndSARS protests in Edo State was far from peaceful on Monday as suspected hoodlums invaded a correctional facility in Sapele and also police stations at Ugbekun, Oba Market and Idogbo.

Clips and footages of the occurrence have flooded social media platforms causing ‘prisoner’ to hit Twitter’s trends list with over 100 thousand mentions. Phrases and hastags like ‘Edo State’ ‘#EdoProtest’, ‘Thugs’, ‘Benin’ ‘Obaseki’ and ‘CCTV’ trended alongside.

Conversations on Twitter have centered on the possibility of a government-sponsored jailbreak in the state intending on drowning the efforts of #EndSARS protesters. Others have questioned why the warders allegedly kept mum while the pandemonium broke out.

Governor Godwin Obaseki has however ordered an immediate 24 hour curfew from 4:00p.m Monday across the state.

Just In: Prisoners break out of Sapele prison in Benin!! Rt this aggressively for awareness!!#EndSARS #SideWithNigeria pic.twitter.com/OuKuNVffUK

— davvyd moore (@davvydmoore) October 19, 2020

Those INMATES in Benin were ILLEGALLY released by authorities!! Just to SABOTAGE THE PEACEFUL PROTEST! we are not fools!!❌

— TACHA????? (@Symply_Tacha) October 19, 2020

Lies from the pit of hell, protesters didn’t do anything you people let them escape

— Samuel Mbah (@Mbahdeyforyou) October 19, 2020

It seems the prisoners are purposely being freed in Benin, Edo State… so the government can use it as a reason to declare curfew and silence peaceful protestors. Shameful!
#EndBadGoveranceInNigeria #EndSARS #EndPoliceBrutalityinNigerapic.twitter.com/48U7khgMFo

— Maiestas Ⓜ️ (@Ebenezer_Peegah) October 19, 2020

– Prisoners seen Escaping From Central Prison as hoodlums hijack EndSARS protest in Benin city,Edo state.

pic.twitter.com/NiSPcSnmJH

— Postsubman (@Postsubman) October 19, 2020

#EndSARS protesters did not pull of the jail break in Benin, or burn the police stations. Those were thugs. For all we know, they could have been agent provocateurs. The government has used provocateurs in Lagos and Abuja. It may not be the last time. This is a peaceful movement!

— Reno Omokri (@renoomokri) October 19, 2020

1.

Edo govt declares 24-hour curfew

The Edo State Government hereby imposes a 24-hour curfew across the state till further notice.

The curfew is to take effect from 4pm, today, October 19, 2020.

— Godwin Obaseki (GGO) (@GovernorObaseki) October 19, 2020

Dear @CorrectionsNg aka Nigerian prisons. A TOP official just notified me as an Invstg Journalist that your WARDERS FREED inmates at the "White House" Benin themselves? They support protesters & tired of the in-house corruption#EndSARS #EndBadGovernance #60yearsoffailure??

— Journalist/Pharmacist Dr Kemi Olunloyo (@KemiOlunloyo) October 19, 2020

Knowing Benin has a history of jailbreaks- it happened in May 1989 during the anti-SAP protests. That time, the protesters freed the prisoners- the prison authority ought to have ordered a lockdown.

Either way the jailbreak has nothing to do with #EndSars

— Great Oracle (@AbdulMahmud01) October 19, 2020

It is very very FOOLISH to allege that govt engineered a prison break in order to delegitimize the protests…just stop this level of thoughtlessness already.
This was bound to happen when the rhetoric started changing from SARS to bad governance, hoodlums must take advantage

— Souljah (@jeffphilips1) October 19, 2020

#QueerNigerianLivesMatter

The hashtag which has so far trended for two days was spurred by a tweet made by a civil rights group, Feminist Coalition, who are advocating for the rights of the LGBTQ+ Community in line with the fight against police brutality.

The tweet which has now been deleted, read:

“Our Communal fight to #EndSARS is inclusive of the LGBGTQ+ Community who are also harassed, assaulted and killed by police. They deserve the same justice we seek and even more so, as they are also a target of the law. You can’t be what you fight against. #QueerNigerianLivesMatter’.

The Queer community then seized the opportunity to condemn the brutality targeted at them by the police, even though homosexuality remains illegal in Nigeria.

EndSARS Protesters however knocked the Civil Rights group for deviating from the point of their protests and pushing a narrative different from the original stance.

Sorry this happened to you, but it may be from a place of other groups shouldn't hijack the movement.There was no need to go there to fly a rainbow flag, the movt is not about the LGBTQ group

— Adaobi (@Doby_Rock) October 14, 2020

I'm not against #QueerNigerianlivesmatter but we have more pressing issues at hand. Let's not lose focus #ENDBADGOVERNANCE

— Lazy Blogger (@Sam_ludas) October 19, 2020

We Appreciate ?? all the work done by @feminist_co but I'm EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED at the Tweet made by them ?. This Protest is about #EndSARS. We Appreciate Queer & LGBT but this Protest is NOT about #QueerNigerianlivesmatter
WE ARE LOSING FOCUS#EndPoliceBrutalityinNigera pic.twitter.com/op3edGNoj5

— Seye Oyekunle (@seye_oyekunle) October 18, 2020

https://twitter.com/Momari45560271/status/1317968343350075398?s=08

everyone knows majority of Nigerians aren't there yet…..you can't have queer rights until fundamental human rights exist. One battle at a time.

— Ozi (@Ozi_Prodigy) October 14, 2020

Oppressor of what exactly. Homosexuality is banned in Nigeria and punishable by law.

— Ajayi (@AjayiIkponmwosa) October 14, 2020

Policemen are beating up protesters that took up flags.But we refuse to be intimidated and more motivated to put an end to this useless officers!!

Rt aggressively let's shame this men!!#EndSARS #EndPoliceBrutalityinNigera #SideWithNigeria #AbujaProtesthttps://t.co/vcPbBwRzzi

— davvyd moore (@davvydmoore) October 19, 2020

Let it be known that Protesters fighting to #EndBadGoveranceInNigeria are being chastised and brutalized by police at #AbujaProtests The same thing we're fighting against keeps repeating itself.

WE AIN'T GIVING UP UNTIL WE WIN✊

RETWEET FOR AWARENESS #EndSARS

— ZATARRA ?‍? (@zatarra__) October 19, 2020

We were at Ecowas HQ Abuja just 30mins ago, shortly before we were teargassed by police force.#AbujaProtests #SARAMUSTEND #EndSARS #EndSARSImmediately #EndPoliceBrutalityinNigera pic.twitter.com/AOyBZLQ6Am

— Abuja Youths ✊✊✊ #EndSARS (@jsquareofficial) October 19, 2020

https://twitter.com/Tom_myk/status/1316022270637170690?s=08

NOTICE!!! Guys the pro Sars protesters in Abuja are attacking the our #EndSARS protesters in Apo. They’re shooting locally made guns and throwing teargas and have just caught up with one of ours and have machete down one of our guys. Please we need help. #AbujaProtests

— Jeff Nweke (@jeffbankz) October 19, 2020

WATCH THIS!!

Thugs they sent to attack peaceful protesters are confessing.

His name is ADAMU of GARKI VILLAGE at Unity Fountain, Abuja.

Please SHARE this video!!#EndSARS #AbujaProtests #ilorinprotest #Beninprotest #SideWithNigeria #EndSARSImmediatelypic.twitter.com/qpN5npWVFt

— K A Y ???? (@Kaylechi_) October 19, 2020

Protesters at international airport Lagos right now#benin #ENDBADGOVERNANCE #EndSARS #edo #Airtel #prison #thugs #obaseki #Lagos #Anonymous pic.twitter.com/p2JWfRLOoO

— Coconut Juice Head (@18thGeek) October 19, 2020

Omo! Lagos don RED!

The entire roads in Lagos is on total Lockdown.

Allen Junction Blocked.
Agidingbi Road Blocked.
Bank Anthony Road Blocked.
Third Mainland Bridge Blocked.
Lagos-Ibadan Express Road Blocked.

If you have plan of going out, pls, abort mission. There's no road.

— Kelz (@Edward_Onoriode) October 19, 2020

Hoodlums attack over 100 policemen at herbert macaulay, in Lagos. Please kindly retweet. #EndSARS #SURULEREPROTEST #EndBadGoveranceInNigeria #EndPoliceBrutalityinNigera #EndSARSImmediately #EndPoliceBrutality #EndPoliceBrutalityinNigeraNOW

Peaceful protesters, prison, cctv pic.twitter.com/veubVveimq

— For a greater Nigeria. (@Drizzzles) October 19, 2020

…By Okiemute Abraham

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