The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, on Thursday advised the anti-SARS protesters to end their agitations on the streets.
Nigerian youths had over a week ago begun a march through the streets and major road in country in protest of brutality against them by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, a unit of the Nigeria police.
Lawan expressed the need for the angry youths to halt their agitation, adding that this would pave the way for the President Muhammadu Buhari, to work on the implementation of their five-point agenda.
Lawan also asked the President to expedite actions on the reform of the Nigeria Police for peace to reign.
He stated this after the Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi, briefed the plenary on the outcome of his meeting with #EndSARS protesters on Wednesday.
The protesters had blocked the National Assembly entrance forcing Lawan to ask Abdullahi and the Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, to meet with them.
Lawan said, “The government has responded, the Special Anti-Robbery Squad has been disbanded. All the five demands of the protesters have been accepted. Since such demands have been accepted, then we should expedite action to actualise them.
“I believe that when protesters’ demands are met, their goals should have been achieved. Therefore, there’s need for our compatriots to go back home and give government the chance to quickly and expeditiously implement those demands.
Also, the Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, expressed the need for the #EndSARS agitators to end their protests since the President Muhammadu Buhari, the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, and the House had addressed the reason behind the protest.
Gbajabiamila said the ongoing #EndSARS protests had exposed the weak policing structure of the country.
The Speaker made these remarks on Thursday when the House inaugurated its Special Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution.
Gbajabiamila said, “For those of us who are out there, we must be careful not to lose the plot. The Inspector General of Police (Mohammed Adamu) has heard you and he has spoken. The House has spoken, even before now, and continues to speak. The President has been unequivocal and spoke clearly. It is now time to sit back and see what happens.
“The simple truth is that we have a police that doesn’t have the trust of the people and a policing system that doesn’t make for productive partnerships between the police and the communities they serve.”
Group seeks suspension of protests
Meanwhile, a group, Activists for Good Governance, has called for the suspension of the ongoing #EndSARS protest.
Gbenga Soloki, who spoke on behalf of the group in a press conference on Thursday, advised that the protests should be suspended so as to pave the way for the Federal Government and the Police authorities to carry out the proposed reforms.
Sowore a failed blackmailer, says Omokri
A former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Mr. Reno Omokri, has challenged a renowned activist, Omoyele Sowore, to name the leaders of the #EndSARS movement that made billions from the ongoing protest and those who paid them.
Omokri was responding to Sowore’s claim that many #EndSARS leaders had become billionaires and that the only negotiation he would be part of was for the surrender of the people’s oppressors.
But Omokri, in a statement titled, ‘#EndSARS bribe allegations: Sowore is a failed blackmailer that is up to his old tricks’, said, “This is typical Omoyele Sowore, whose stock in trade is blackmail.
PDP seeks full police reforms, compensation for anti-SARS victims
In a related development, the Peoples Democratic Party on Thursday, urged the Federal Government to urgently carry a comprehensive police reforms to stop the ongoing protests across the country.
The National Chairman of the PDP, Uche, Secondus, stated this after he led the leadership of his party with its Senate Caucus in Abuja.
“We have also discussed the issue of #EndSARS and SWAT. We believe that a comprehensive police and policing reforms will be an answer to police brutality. We also endorse the five terms raised by the protesters. We also appeal to the government that adequate compensation to the families should be given,” Secondus added.
LSSTF backs police reform
Similarly, the Lagos State Government, through the Lagos State Security Trust Fund, expressed the urgent need for police reform in the country, saying with a clear vision, prudent and efficient ways of applying meagre resources, the country could achieve people-orientated, diligent and successful policing.
Allow Buhari to effect reform – Oluwo
Also, the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, has urged protesters to allow the President Muhammadu Buhari to effect a new reform as promised in the wake of the nationwide youth protest.
(Punch)
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