Nicholas Kalu, Abuja
Thousands of protesters took to the streets of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja to declare their support for President Muhammadu Buhari, as well as the campaign to reform the police.
The protesters, in their thousands, took off from the Unity Fountain from which they proceeded to the Federal Secretariat before moving to other parts of town.
National Coordinator of Citizens Action for Good Governance (CAGG), Comrade Nazir Galadanchi, said the demand of the #ENDSARS protesters had been granted as the Special Anti-Robbery Squad had been scrapped.
He said the #ENDSARS protests had been hijacked by elements who do not mean well for the country and urged the government to do something before the situation degenerates into complete chaos.
He said, “We are here to give support to the President the Inspector-General of Police and their policies, especially in recent times the reformation of the Nigerian Police. We also came to declare that all we want is Police reform. We understand that there is so many excesses in the Nigeria Police and our organization took a position and said we need police reform. But the President in his wisdom decided to end SARS and ensure that a new Police Unit is established to deal with crime.
“Everyone sees that what the President has done is in the interests of Nigerian. What we are experiencing today is no longer the protest that started in the first instance. The protests that started came with a genuine call from citizens to see how to end the excesses of the Police especially the unit of SARS. However, what we are experiencing today is something that has been hijacked by hoodlums and people who don’t mean well for this country and people who are in extreme antagonization of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
“However, we want to highlight and reiterate our call that Mr. President should take the necessary steps to bring an end to the continuation of all these protests happening across the country. The protests have caused mayhem and obstruction of movement and inflicted pains on the lives of Nigerians. The protesters have continuously blocked access roads across the country. It caused a woman to have a miscarriage. It has caused untimely death. It has caused discomfort. In as much as you have a right to protest, you are limited because no freedom is absolute. There should be your freedom is limited. The extent of their right is the beginning of other’s rights. There is no way you can hold the while country ransom because you have some grievances. Their grievances right now are nebulous, indistinctive, impractical, and not achievable.
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“However, they are creating a nuisance against the government and people of this country and we what to the government to take necessary action to ensure they bring a halt to this malfeasance and crisis. However, we also want to say that the genuine ENDSARS protesters have gotten what they asked for and their demands all met.
“Right now you can see Benin prisons broken and criminals escaping, the governor of Osun escaped assassination, the Minister of FCT was almost lynched at Airport Road. There have been different attacks. There has been the destruction of police property and the killing of a police officer in Lagos State. This is snowballing into anarchy. If the government doesn’t take decisions to halt all these protests, we are going to have a country that is lawless and criminals will be having a field day. We want government to do the needful and save our democracy. We want these current protesters who are not Nigerians with good intent to realize that President Buhari is the democratically elected leader of this country. Their campaign to say “Buhari out” can only be achieved through the ballot.”
Convener of the pro-SWAT Movement, Husseini Saraki, who also led some protesters, said the real protesters for the #ENDSARS movement were no longer on the streets and has been taken over by criminals, who have been making life difficult for Nigerians.
According to him, those on the streets now are criminals who engage in stealing, vandalizing vehicles, and victimizing Nigerians.
He said the government should be given the benefit of the doubt to do what they have promised.
“The government should be given time. People cannot remain on the streets forever. The government has shown good faith by listening to the voice of the people. Let us see how they perform. But we are hopeful that the Nigeria Police will be much better than before because there has never been a time we have witnessed such magnitude of protest against the police,” he said.
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