#EndSARS: FG To Forcefully End Protest If… Presidential Committee

Barring any last minute change, the Federal Government led by President Muhammadu Buhari, may forcefully end the ongoing #EndSARS protests across the country, the Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), Prof. Itse Sagay has said.

Naija News reports that protesting youths in Nigeria agitating for the end to Police brutalization and extra judicial killings of Nigerians. The protesters have been on the streets for six days now, protesting the brutalities, humiliation, and extortion of Nigerians, especially the youths.

The protesters demanded an end to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a police unit under the Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department headed by the Deputy Inspector General of Police Anthony Ogbizi, using a hashtag: #EndSARS.

On Sunday, October 11, 2020, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Adamu disbanded SARS following a widespread protest from Nigerians worldwide.

However, since the announcement that SARS has been scrapped, the protesters have refused to leave the streets, which Sagay says might force the Federal Government to take drastic measures against the protesting youths.

Sagay who alleged that the protest has been hijacked by hoodlums, added that having done what the youths requested, the Federal Government may have no choice than to forcefully put an end to the protests if the youths continue.

Following the intervention of President Buhari and the disbandment of the unit by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), and the ongoing renaming and rebranding processes, The PACAC Chairman enjoined Nigerian youths to put an end to the #EndSARS protest in the country.

Sagay said having proven to be a listening government, the youths should be satisfied with the steps taken by the federal government and suspend the protests, adding that continuing the protests after all that has been done by the government, may be a ploy by the youths to destabiliise the country using #EndSARS as a smokescreen.

His words: “My observation is that hoodlums are already hijacking the protests. The IGP has already disbanded the SARS. So, it no longer exists officially as a unit. The youths refused to stop protesting, they said they wanted the President to issue an Executive Order dissolving it. Executive Orders are not used for that purpose.

“Executive Orders are lawmaking instruments to make laws, just like National Assembly will make a law, although this type of Executive Order is below that level. It wouldn’t have been an appropriate thing to do.

“But it’s as if the President is listening, he now came and made this address in which he accepted everything the youths are asking for. He went on to even say that the squad people who are responsible for various harmful and illegal activities will be identified and dealt with. To me, that should be the end of the matter.

“I believe the youths should be satisfied at this stage. If the youths still come out tomorrow again, then it will look as if the whole demonstration has a hidden agenda for which EndSARS is being used as a cover. It will seem there is an agenda to disturb the stability of the country and engage in activities that may be along the line of #RevolutionNow which itself is the highest crime in our constitution.

“In such a situation, the government will have no choice than to bring an end to it and nobody will be able to complain then.

“This is what they were doing in Hongkong for nine months. They got all that they want in Hongkong but they refused and continued protesting; they stopped all commercial activities; stopped flying in and out of Hongkong and paralysed all activities until the Chinese stepped in and were forced to pass the law, completely suspended their rights, and now they are complaining.

“So, our youths must know how far they should go. Since they have gotten more than they want, at this stage, everyone should quietly go back to their homes and not continue obstructing the highways, disturbing commercial activities in the state.

“Otherwise, it could give rise to much more serious consequences which they themselves will not be happy about,” Sagay said.