5 Things That Happened In 2020 We Will Not Forget Easily

Many people say they are eager to see the year 2020 come to an end, in the hope that the new year would present better days and fortune. This is because of the challenges and occurrences that easily make them sad or cause them to shed tears when they remember them.

Some of these events or occurrences changed the old ways of doing things and presented news ones for which many are yet to adapt.

See some of the events which happened in the year 2020 that cannot be easily forgotten.

1. Coronavirus

When this disease broke out in 2019 in Wuhan, China, the world paid little or no attention to it as everyone were busy attending to their own needs. However, in February 2020, the virus spread across countries and many died.

Many countries closed markets, schools, churches, and stopped international travels. Total lockdown was enforced to curb the spread of the virus which could kill a person 14 days after they contract it.

Coronavirus statistics as at 31 December 2020.

As at 31 December 2020, over 1.8 million people have died of coronavirus related complications while a total of 83,205,900 have contracted the virus.

In Nigeria, the coronavirus disease has killed many including Suleiman Achimugu (a former director of PPMC, one of the subsidiaries of NNPC that oversee the sell of petroleum products), who was the first to die of the illness after he returned home from Britain; Abba Kyari, the former Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari; Abiola Ajimobi, the former governor of Oyo State; Senator Bayo Osinowo, who represented Lagos East; Wahab Adegbenro, Ondo State Commissioner for Health among others.

The coronavirus affected people in different ways: many lost their jobs as many businesses closed, hunger and starvation became the other of the day.

2. The Death of George Floyd

In Minneapolis, Minnesota on 25 May, 2020, some American police officers knelt on the neck of a 46-year-old black man known as George Floyd even as he cried "I can't breathe".

This happened as the police officers tried to arrest him on the allegation that he tried to pay for a cigarette he bought in one of the shops with a counterfeit $20.

The death of George Floyd sparked outrage and protests in America as a video of the incident appeared on social media two days after his death.

Angry Americans bought down the police station, stores, houses and cars were also destroyed as protests spread from Minnesota to other parts of America.

There were protests in the UK and other countries as people found their voices to speak up against police brutality and black lives matter.

Derek Chauvin, Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane are officers guilty of George Floyd's death.

Four police officers were charged for the death of George Floyd as many other companies and industries used the same period to review the discrimination in their workplaces.

3. EndSARS Protests

The EndSARS protest gained momentum on 8th October 2020 as the story of how SARS officers shot a man in Warri, Delta State and drove away with his car went viral on social media.

The protest started in Delta state and spread to Lagos and Abuja.

The protest was not taken seriously at first, but more youths in different states began to protest against police brutality and called for an end to the police unit known as the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

This is due to allegations that SARS officers were using their offices to harass any youth with dreadlocks, wearing a tattoo, or driving a luxury car as a criminal.

The government responded and announced that it had disbanded SARS and pleaded an end to the protests but the youths refused to leave the streets, saying it was not the first time the government had promised a thing and did not do it.

On the night of 20/10/2020, the Nigerian Army visited the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos where a group of youths gathered and opened fire on them.

Many were wounded, while some whom we do not know their actual number till date died.

Instead of calming the youth, the military's approach broke the hearts of many and worsened the movement, which led to violence in various states.

Police officers were shot dead, police stations, banks, shops and government offices were set ablaze.

4. Kidnapping of Kankara Schoolboys

President Muhammadu Buhari received and addressed the Kankara schoolboys after they were rescued.

On the evening of 11 December, 2020, more than 300 male students were abducted from a school in Kankara, Katsina state.

It took only few nights after their abduction before they were rescued and brought back home.

Some say the kidnappers were paid, but the government says they were not paid.

5. The Clash between Youths and Security Personnels in Emene, Enugu State

Security forces stormed the scene

Clashes erupted between suspected members of the IPOB group and the police in Emene, Enugu on 23 August.

Witnesses said police raided the venue of IPOB meeting and dispersed them.

Some were injured while others lost their lives in the chaos that ensued.

According to a BBC reporter, a human body was burning when they arrived the scene of the incident on that day.

What other significant event happened in 2020?