AUDIENCE PERCEPTION OF SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE OPERATIONS OF SPECIAL ANTI-ROBBERY SQUAD IN ASABA

This study aims to assess audience perception of social media campaigns against the operations of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Asaba. The researcher reviewed relevant literature and empirical studies to provide a foundation for the current study and enable a comprehensive comparison with previous works in the same or similar subject area. The study is anchored on the Agenda Setting Theory, which posits that the media, through frequent coverage of issues, determines the dominant public discourse. By extensively reporting acts that breed public dissatisfaction and protests in Nigeria, the media can sensitize the populace against such issues. The researcher adopted a survey research method, utilizing a questionnaire as the data collection instrument. Respondents were randomly selected from the study population, and the collected data were presented in tables and analyzed using simple percentages. The findings reveal that social media usage among students of DSPG and Nigerian youths during the EndSARS protest was highly effective, transforming the protest into a global phenomenon and ultimately leading to the scrapping of SARS, which had been accused of consistent brutality. Based on the limitations of the study, the researcher suggests that future studies should devote more time to gathering robust literature and empirical reviews, conduct research in Lagos to gather opinions from residents, and include government functionaries to obtain their perspectives on media framing of the EndSARS protest or any related demonstrations. Overall, this study underscores the significant role of social media in shaping public discourse and influencing policy decisions regarding issues of police brutality in Nigeria.