Yahaya Bello Kick Against Another Round of #EndSARS Protests

Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State has warned youths against engaging in another round of #EndSARS protests against police brutality.

Recall that Nigerian youths had taken to the streets in October to protest against continuous harassment and extra-judicial killings by operatives of the Nigerian police.

The protests were later infiltrated and hijacked by hoodlums who unleashed mayhem across the country.

Despite the federal government setting up judicial panels to look into cases on police brutality, the same government has also been clamping down on protesters.

Speaking to newsmen, Yahaya Bello warned that returning to the streets would have a negative impact on Nigeria’s economy.

According to the governor, another round of demonstrations will not be only premature but also counterproductive.

He said: “In the face of all this and as the first sitting governor who publicly upheld the rights of our youths to protest against police brutality, I cannot in all good conscience agree that the time is ripe for another round of #EndSARS protests.

“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 conscious efforts 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.”

Bello said another nationwide protest will worsen the multidimensional poverty indices all over Nigeria and cause greater hardship on the ordinary Nigerians.

Naija News reports that Nigerians on Monday took to the streets to continue protests against police brutality across the nation.

Reacting to the new protest, armed policemen and soldiers have been deployed at the Lekki toll gate, Lagos.

Eyewitnesses which spoke on the event noted that the security operatives were deployed to the location around midnight.

Security operatives in the country have warned youths against marching out again in their call to end SARS, a disbanded arm of the Nigeria Police Force