'Scarred by the badge, writing the wound!': state-agent brutality, horror testimonials and unheard screams of trauma in End SARS Rhythms

The uproar and civil unrest led by demonstrating youths in 2020 date back to the indignation and grievances that accumulated for over a decade towards the heartrending atrocities perpetrated by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a unit of the Nigerian Police Force notorious for human rights violations. This study explores the testimonials of horror and traumatic impulses expressed through the poetry anthology, End SARS Rhythms, interrogating how these narratives reveal the profound impact of police brutality on Nigerians. By examining the intersections of trauma, pain, and resistance in these testimonials, this research highlights the ways in which the badge of authority scars individuals and society. Adopting a content-based methodology, in line with qualitative paradigms, this study applies tenets of Caruth’s Trauma Theory in the analysis of these EndSARS-related poem-narratives. It is demonstrated that the movement’s use of social media and protest-lyrics served as a potent instrumentation for the writing of pain and amplification of the voices of those affected by police brutality. Ultimately, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of the intricate dynamics between power, trauma, and resistance in contemporary Nigeria, while also emphasizing the compelling obligation of literary craftmanship in inaugurating processes of healing in troubled societies.