ABSTRACT
The
ENDSARS protest which was aimed at ending police brutality ended up having
effect in all sphere of life including the small and medium enterprises sector
in Nigeria. Based on this foregoing, the study investigates the impact of
ENDSARS protest on small and medium enterprises in Lagos state, Nigeria. A
descriptive design was used and one hundred and eighty-nine (189) SMEs were
selected using a convenient sampling technique. Data were analysed with the aid
of a descriptive statistics. The study found that ENDSARS protest had a very
high impact on small scale and medium business. The study also found that
grants and credit facilities is the most important mechanism that will help
improve the growth of Small and Medium-Scale Enterprise (SMEs) in the post-ENDSARS
era. Subsequently, it was recommended that the government in conjunction with
policy makers should give SMEs owners in Nigeria unconditional grant and credit
facilities
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
A protest is practically a demonstration by
the public to portray their expression of objection or disapproval towards an
idea or action in a polity. This demonstration can take different forms but the
apex of it is taking to the street by the populace to publicly express their
grievances to the government.
The EndSARS campaign movement dates back to
2017, where Nigerian youths used the hashtag to share their experiences on
violence and assault perpetrated by the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad
(SARS). However, the movement only revived in early October, 2020 after a video
emerged of police officers thought to be members of the SARS unit, allegedly
killing an unarmed young man. This prompted Nigerian youths to troop to
Twitter, calling on the Federal Government for police reform with the hashtag,
#EndSARS, #Endpolicebrutality, and many more. The hashtag trended continuously
on Twitter as Nigerian youths aired their pain and experiences online.
A viral message broadcast on social media
suggested men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad SARS had gunned down a Nigerian
youth, snatched his car, and sped off with it. As the video spread on Social
media, the hashtag #ENDSARS started to garner momentum as more young people
demanded an end to the brutal police unit that has for years brutalized young
Nigerians.
On the 4th of October, 2020, the Nigerian
Police Force, through the Inspector General of Police, announced the
ban of SARS members and other Tactical Squads from carrying out routine patrols
and other conventional low-risk duties, stop and search duties, checkpoints,
mounting of roadblocks, traffic checks, etc with immediate effect.
On 7th October 2020, youths in Lagos State set out for
a three-day protest to call for the disbandment of theSpecial Anti-Robbery
Squad (SARS) unit of the Nigeria Police Force, as part of the push for
reforms in the police system to put an end to the extra-judicial activities of
the agency. Youths were seen marching to the Force Headquarters at Ikeja,
carrying placards with various inscriptions such as “Protect, not exploit”,
“Nigeria police stop
killing us,” amongst other printed messages (nairametrics.com).
This was the start of a 14-day protest that eventually turned violent and
hijacked by hoodlums and resulted to the destruction, vandalizing and looting
of public and private properties and Small and Medium Enterprises in the
country.
Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are
non-subsidiary, independent firms/organizations which employ fewer numbers of
employees. This number varies across countries. According to the European Union
(EU), SMEs are categories of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises which
employ fewer than 250 persons and which have an annual turnover not exceeding
50 million Euros. In Nigeria, the Central Bank of Nigeria in its monetary
policies circular No. 22 of 1988 defined SMEs as enterprises which have an
annual turnover not exceeding Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N500,000). For the
sake of clarity, the National Policy on Micro Small and Medium Enterprises
(MSMEs) has given a clear distinction of enterprises, based on employment and
Assets. SMEs are organizations which can best be described through their
capital, scope and cost of projects, annual turnover, financial strength and
number of employees amongst other things. Such organizations must and can be
registered under any part of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) in
order to do business in Nigeria.
The small and medium scale enterprises sub
sector of the economy holds the key to the nation’s quest for economic growth
and development. Today, regardless of the level of growth and development the
world over, countries continue to embark on viable policies and programs that
would create and pave way for the sustainable development of their economies
through SMEs development. Numerous studies have shown that small and medium
scale enterprises act as a catalyst for growth and development of a national
economy.
In recent decades, Nigeria has made it one of
the nation’s prime objectives to expand its industrial base through creation,
sustenance and growth of small and medium scale enterprises for attainment of
economic growth. This has remained the focus of various administrations in
Nigeria particularly during the present democratic dispensation. On the other
hand, the decay of infrastructural facilities especially power, vandalization
and looting has negatively affected the performance, growth and development of
SMEs in Nigeria over the years.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
One of the things that accompanies protest of
group of people in any polity is the disruption of movement and businesses of
people. For people to protest, there are many stimulants to it and one major of
them all is for a change to something good and better outside the ill ones that
the people have been subjected to. A protest is practically a demonstration by
the public to portray their expression of objection or disapproval towards an
idea or action in a polity. This demonstration can take different forms but the
apex of it is taking to the street by the populace to publicly express their
grievances to the government.
The ail treatment of the Nigerian Police
Force Unit known as Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) on the citizens of
Nigeria and their brutality on youths stimulated the agitation of the youth
crying out for the disbandment of SARS which has done no good to youths rather
has brought about killings and kidnapping of youths, harassing youths publicly
by looking into their phones, checking at the type of car they are driving, the
quality of clothes they wear, accessing their emails, facebook pages and
whatsapp and profiling them to see whether they are fraudsters or not and as
well stealing from them.
The discontent of the youths to the brutality
of the SARS metamorphosed into the EndSARS protests in Lagos State which was a
peaceful campaign calling on the government to disband the Special Anti-Robbery
Squad (SARS) unit and as well see to the reforming of the police force. The
protest spread like wild fire to other states in Nigeria. It started as a
peaceful demonstration by thousands of youths but later turned into chaos after
the protests were hijacked by hoodlums and led to mob attacks on security
personnel, killings of protesters, vandalizing and looting of public and
private properties and shops.
At exactly 11:49am on Tuesday, 20th October
2020, the Lagos State Government announced the imposition of a 24-hours curfew
in all parts of the state to curtail the destruction of properties by hoodlums
in the name of EndSARS protest in the state. Small and Medium Enterprises were
vandalized and looted during the EndSARS protests. This has led to loss of
valuable resources and properties belonging to the victims of the looted shops.
The blocking of roads by protesters and curfew declared by the state government
of Lagos resulted to restriction of movement and has contributed to reduction
on level of demand and supply in businesses and high transportation fare.
For this cause, this study seeks to
investigate into the effect of the EndSARS protest on Small and Medium
Enterprises (SMEs) in Lagos State.
1.3 Objective of the Study
The purpose of this study is to investigate
into the causes of the EndSARS protest in Lagos State and to find out if the
EndSARS protest has any negative effect on Small and Medium Enterprises in
Lagos State.
1.4 Research Question
The following questions guide this research:
1.
What are the causes of EndSARS protest in
Lagos State?
2.
What are the negative effects of EndSARS
protest in Lagos State?
1.5 Significance of the Study
This study will be of benefit to the general
public, business owners and government to realize the menace the EndSARS
protest has caused to Small and Medium Enterprises and the economy. It will
also bring to the notice of the government and policy makers the need to
hearken to the plea of the protesters and put things right in the country. This
study will also serve as a benchmark to researchers and students who may desire
to carry out further research on this or related topic.
1.6 Scope of the Study
This study focus mainly on the effect of
EndSARS protest on Small and Medium Enterprises in Lagos State. The causes of
the EndSARS protest and its negative effects on Small and Medium Enterprises in
Lagos State will be examined. This study is limited to some selected SMEs
owners in Lagos State.
1.7 Limitation of the Study
Time, funds and availability of materials on
this research domain and validating of respondents’ responses to interviews and
questionnaires were the major constraints the researcher encountered at the
course of this study.
1.8 Definition of Terms
Protest: A
statement or action expressing disapproval of or objection to something.
SARS: Special
Anti-Robbery Squad, a unit of Nigerian police force established to deal with
crimes associated with robbery, motor vehicle theft, kidnapping, cattle
rustling, and firearms.
EndSARS: A
social movement and series of mass protests calling on the disbanding of the
SARS and against police brutality in Nigeria.
SMEs: Small
and Medium Enterprises are business that maintain revenues, assets or a number
of employees below a certain limit.
Effect: A
change which is a result or consequence of an action or other cause.
Disruption: Disturbance
or problems which interrupt an event, activity or process.
Destruction: The
action or process of causing so much damage to something.
Looting: The
act of stealing goods from a place typically during a war or riot.
Vandalize: To
deliberately destroy or damage public or private property.