Integrity Journal of Arts and Humanities

The Nigerian police as a law enforcement agency is saddled with the responsibilities of protecting lives and property and maintenance of law and order in Nigeria. It is noteworthy that the Nigerian Police set up Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) to fight the high rate of Armed Robbery and other criminality in the country. Consequently, the manner in which it carried out its duties resulted in the Nigerian youths protesting for the squad to be disbanded with the slogan ‘EndSARS’. It is observed that during the protest, Nigeria became restive that finally led to the loss of lives and property. The paper focused on how religion, particularly African Traditional Religion has provided a fulcrum on which social and moral control of the youths revolve with the aim of forestalling future occurrence of EndSARS protest in Nigeria. The work used a phenomenological approach. It was descriptive and analytical. The writer collected data from primary and secondary sources. It was discovered that social control in the traditional societies randomly selected by the writer was religiously inclined and moral laxity was frowned at owing to its attraction of the wrath of the gods on the offenders and the entire village and community if the culprits were not given appropriate punishment. While in a secular country like Nigeria where enforcement of morality has no link with religion, the contrary is always the case. The writer recommended that police brutality should be abolished in this country; rather the police and the youths should apply their African traditional religious tenets in all their doings which will not only checkmate crime but also help in forestalling future occurrence of EndSARS protest. To ensure justice and peace, victims of police brutality have to be compensated.