Abstract
This study focused on the effect of lethal repression on peaceful protests in Nigeria, specifically examining the #EndSARS and #EndHunger/BadGovernment protests. It analysed the government’s indifference to the plight of its citizens and its tendency to resort to violent repression to curtail peaceful protests. Both primary and secondary data were utilized in this study; the primary data were collected through the use of key informant interviews, while the secondary data were sourced from textbooks, journals, newspapers, and other materials. Findings revealed that lethal repression significantly affected peaceful protests, as it deterred citizens from participating due to the perceived dangers associated with Government’s response to peaceful protesst. The study concludes that with the findings from the field, lethal repression has negatively affected citizens’ right to peaceful protest. As such, little or nothing will be done in the near future to call government to order, when policies without a human face have been passed and implemented. The study recommended that citizens should be more conscious in electing leaders to manage Government affairs to avoid the risks associated with elected autocratic leaders who employ lethal repression against peaceful protesters. Additionally, it recommended that protesters should adhere to rules of peaceful protest to ensure that public properties are not damaged during demonstrations.
Keywords: Lethal repression, End Sars, End Hunger, Bad government