Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford and Arsenal forward Mesut Ozil have added their voices to those calling for an end to the activities of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a unit of the Nigeria Police Force, which has since been disbanded by the government.
SARS have been accused of unlawful arrests, torture and killings, which has sparked mass protests across the country.
Images of those protests as well as of some of the alleged activities of SARS have been widely shared on social media, meaning the issue gained worldwide attention.
Editors' Picks
The #EndSARS hashtag gained traction on social media, with a number of well-known celebrities, sports stars and sports clubs responding by calling for change.