Wrongfully Jailed for Six Years: Rasheed’s Struggle After EndSARS Arrest
Aged just 17, Rasheed Wasiu was swept up by a local vigilante during the October 2020 EndSARS protests in Lagos. Although he never protested or carried a weapon, he spent nearly six years behind bars awaiting trial on charges that never held up in court. Life inside Kirikiri Correctional Centre was brutal and congested. Food was poor, healthcare was scarce and inmates without money suffered most. Rasheed survived by washing clothes, selling snacks and relying on meagre favours until a judge finally struck out his case for lack of evidence earlier this year. His freedom brought relief but also fresh anguish. On returning home, Rasheed found that his mother—who had warned him to stay indoors—had vanished under a shadow of fear. Neighbours caught only glimpses of her in the marketplace, and now he lives with an uncle while searching for her. His ordeal highlights the backlog in Nigeria’s courts, where more than half of inmates await trial. He credits the legal aid provided by a grassroots advocacy group for securing his release. Now free, Rasheed hopes to finish his tailoring training, find steady work and rebuild the years stolen from him.
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