Police, youth showdown looms over fresh #EndSARS protest

• Another protest will worsen poverty – Kogi governor

There is a growing tension in many parts of Nigeria, including Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt, as police have vowed to resist a fresh #EndSARS protest by aggrieved youths billed to start on Monday, December 07.

The organisers of the planned phase two protest said through social media platforms, especially Twitter, the action was to demand the release of all protesters detained after the first phase protest.

They also asked all accounts of #EndSARS leaders frozen by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) lifted.

In addition to the scores of police and other citizens killed and burning of many police stations, about 269 private and companies’ assets were destroyed in the last #EndSARS protests.

Many police stayed away from duty for days to protest the mayhem visited on them by hoodlums that hijacked the first protest.

At least 243 government facilities were torched and 81 warehouses looted.

The hoodlums broke into prisons in some states and set about 2,000 inmates free.

The police said about 196 policemen were injured, 164 police vehicles destroyed and 134 police stations razed.

The police have therefore warned that the fresh protest would not be tolerated and asked the planners to abort the action.

Spokesman for the police in Lagos, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, in a statement, said no such gathering would be permitted.

The statement read, “The command has reliably gathered intelligence that certain individuals/groups have concluded plans to lure unsuspecting Lagosians, especially youths, into their planned protest which is proposed to commence December 7 (today) at designated locations in the state.

“The Lagos State Police Command wishes to re-echo and remind the public that the Government of Lagos State, businesses, individuals and security families still groan in losses and pains that the last violent #EndSARS protest occasioned.

“Lagos State is still nursing the wounds orchestrated by some violent #EndSARS protesters and not fit to accommodate such protest for now.

“In the light of the above, the Lagos State Police Command, therefore, warns those who might want to disguise under #EndSARS protest to cause another set of mayhem, brouhaha and violence in the state, to desist from such plans as the police and other security agencies will not fold their arms seeing individuals or groups orchestrating another violence and anarchy in the state.

“The command also warns parents and guardians to warn and discourage their children and wards from being lured into any act, gathering or protest capable of causing violence in the state.

“The command wishes to reiterate that any unlawful gathering, procession or protest will be suppressed professionally in accordance with the provisions of the law.

“The police command encourages Lagosians and those who are in Lagos for their genuine engagements to go about their lawful businesses as all hands are on the deck to maintain law and order within the length and breadth of Lagos State.”

In Abuja, the police said they were ready to ensure there was no breakdown of law and order.

The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, had also said the force would not allow another #EndSARS protests.

The Abia State Police Command no protest would be allowed without the approval of the Commissioner of Police, Janet Agbede.

The Police in Rivers State said its officers and men were ready to frustrate any second wave of the #EndSARS protest.

The spokesman, Nnamdi Omoni, said the command had intercepted some intelligence about its possibility and was ready to curtail it.

He said, “We uncovered intelligence of the likelihood of the protest and we have put measures in place to curtail it”.

But supporters of the planned protests said they were undeterred by the threats by security operatives.

They said labelling #ENDSARS protesters as criminals would not demoralise them.

One of them, Bisi Oluwagbemileke wrote, “#EndSARS, where are we meeting tomorrow (today)? I just want us to keep applying pressure and retweeting aggressively. I am ready with my joggers and canvas. Let’s hit the road.”

Another, Ayobami Olunloyo, said, “To label #EndSARS as simply being about police reform, is a grave error. It (was) is about societal reform. Police brutality was merely a trigger and the final straw for too many citizens who do not deserve to be brutalised randomly or to live in fear and terror.”

Meanwhile, Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello urged youths to shelve any plan for another round of #EndSARS protests.

He said such a move would do further harm to the economy and stretch the already overwhelmed security architecture.

The governor, in a special broadcaston Sunday, said, “I deem another round of #EndSARS protests to be premature and counter-productive at this time.

“Apart from the higher likelihood of conflict with the police earlier canvassed, we must also admit that the security situation in the country is very precarious at the moment.

“All patriots must therefore make a conscious effort not to degrade a parlous security situation further.

“Nationwide protests at this time will only overburden the load-bearing capabilities of our security architecture increasing the likelihood of total collapse.

“No matter the narrative, I doubt that out-of-control anarchy is an objective of the #EndSARS protests.

“It is also true that we live in an economy that is bleeding badly right now. Traditional responses to COVID-19 have hurt, not just Nigeria, but all other countries of the world. Many have fallen into recession.

“To worsen matters, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) predicted three days ago that the pandemic could push the number of people living in extreme poverty to over one billion by 2030. Thank God they are owning up to my earlier prediction, warning and caution.

“Nigeria’s earning and foreign exchange situation is too fragile as we speak, to resist sustained shocks.

“Another nationwide protest will worsen the multidimensional poverty indices all over our country and work greater hardship on the ordinary Nigerians we claim to be advocating for.”