News freshly reaching our newsroom has it that Temitope Adewale, a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, has asked #EndSARS protesters to calm down, warning that the government may be forced to declare a state of emergency or a lockdown if things continue to escalate the way it is degenerating across the country.
Youths in Nigeria who are obviously on the streets for about eight days now are calling on the government of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and President Muhammadu Buhari to disband Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) over their continual harassment of Nigerians many of which have led to extra-judicial killings. The youths are angry that despite all the impunity, killings and all sorts of abuses perpetrated by officers of the Nigerian police, the government has never prosecuted the blood-thirsty officials.
This is in addition to the already blood-soaked northern Nigeria where Boko Haram, Fulani Herdsmen, Bandits, Kidnappers amongst other violent criminalities have taken over the order of the day with the government watching in awe. The youths are also angry that the government may have lost the capacity to protect them hance they have decided to take their faith into their own hands by asking for the reformation of policing in the country at least.
However, Adewale who represents the Ifako-Ijaye state constituency, wrote, “My dearest and greatest youths let’s take a break from the protest, back down for now and wait to see the promise of reforms they have made to us. If we don’t, I foresee counter-protests by youths, business owners, front liners and more will start whether sponsored or not, robbery, molestation and harassment will ensue and anarchy looms.
“The government would deploy its security and anti-riot forces to end the crisis they would say was caused by we youths and impose lockdown and or state of emergency in the land then the police reform we want to see would not happen as they will focus on you and I.
“Part of the constitution that favours the government will be evoked to protect lives and properties as the primary responsibility of the government. Please let’s consolidate on our win by organising ourselves to participate in the reform process and end this protest. “More than anything I am a youth and my name is Hon. Temitope Adewale, Member, Lagos State House of Assembly. God Bless us all.”
Thousands of protesters, who are mostly youths, have been demonstrating against police brutality perpetrated by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad. The protests have continued despite the scrapping of SARS by the police. Several attempts by the government and business leaders to quell the protests have failed. The demonstrations, which have mostly been peaceful, have caused heavy traffic and affected economic activities in major cities across the country.
