Nigerian Windsorites worry for family back home, call for action from Canadian government

Windsor resident Angelina Ebegbuzie says what's happening in her family's home country of Nigeria is "painful to see."

Thousands of Nigerians continue to peacefully protest against police brutality, a call to action that's been ongoing for the last two weeks in Lagos, the country's largest city. According to Amnesty International, at least 56 people have reportedly died across the country while seeking an end to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, or SARS, a police unit set up in 1992 to address crime. 

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari disbanded SARS last week, but the protests have continued as skeptical demonstrators seek further reforms to police in the country.

The unit was controversial and had a reputation for brutality. Amnesty has accused it of extortion and torture, among other human rights violations.

"It's upsetting because when you know ... that's your home, that's where you come from and you see the people that you originate from suffering in such a manner when this shouldn't actually be happening, it's painful to see," said Ebegbuzie, who lives in Windsor but has family in Nigeria. 

"But at the same time, I know that it's something that has to be done because they have been protesting against this for such a long time and there has never been any change. So sometimes protests like this, and to this magnitude, bring about world attention. And maybe now the government will be forced to do something." 

WATCH: Locals speak about Nigeria's police brutality 

Nigerians in Windsor speak out on situation in Nigeria

4 years ago

Duration 2:26

Nigerians living in Windsor are calling on government to condemn and take action against Nigerian government.

Windsor resident Chidera Ikewibe agreed that what's happening in the country needs to take place to push change forward. 

She said the youth are leading the pack and asking to defund the "corrupt" police unit. They want to see increased wages for police so they don't have to lead a life of crime to make ends meet, she said.  

'People want real and actual change'

Ikewibe said if she could speak to Nigeria's president, she would tell him that "he has to enact real change for the people, because we're scared." 

"This is not just some passing moment. This is not some passing trend. This is something that we demand and the Nigerian youth and people want real and actual change," she said. 

As for watching it all unfold from afar, Ikewibe said "it's been insanely hard."

She says she's been talking to family in Nigeria frequently, but it's not the same as being with them. 

"My heart aches for my family. But, you know, we're not the ones who are the most harmed right now. The ones who have been the most harmed are those who have lost their family and my heart goes out to them," she said. 

In response to all that's happening, she wants Canadian political leaders to take action and "publicly denounce" what is happening against the Nigerian people. 

"The Nigerian people in the Nigerian diaspora are citizens to [Canada] and we demand change," she said. "We demand that [the Canadian government] speak out against, you know, all these terrible things that are happening because something that hurts Nigerians abroad, hurts us here." 

For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community — check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.