#EndSARS protesters: Our agitation is not against Nigeria sovereignty

Etim Ekpimah

Hundreds of #EndSARS protesters in Igbogbo in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State on Saturday raged over comments that the protest had soured as the protesters have outlived their demands to scrap the Special Anti-Robbery Squad unit of the Nigeria Police Force, which hitherto had become nightmares for the youths.

According to them the demand to end SARS was an aspect of a series of demands they expect Federal Government to fulfil before they can leave the streets and major roads in the country and not a threat to topple the government as it has been speculated.

One of the protesters, Akindele Oluwatoyin, said the youths are agitating for a positive change in the country and not only for the end to police brutality and impunity. He added that the youths were no longer at ease with the way the police had been harassing, robbing, maiming, and killing some of them, hence the protests.

He stated that he was surprised that some gullible Nigerians have begun to read meanings to the protests by pitching the protesters against the government.

He said: “What we want in this country is a structural change. The demand to scrap SARS has not ended. They can only fool those who wanted to be fooled by rebranding SARS as SWAT. I don’t understand the haste. You need consult Nigerians including the youths on how to bring about a formation that will be better trained and equipped to interact with citizens.

“We need a change, not the aged politicians anymore. The true change must start now. We will not leave the streets or roads until all our demands are met. Nigeria belongs to all of us. We are not toppling any government. We demand something; let them fulfil these for us. We only have placards and mouth: these are not what are used to topple government; they don’t need to be mischievous. We need people to follow us, see with us, feel with us so that we can curb bad governance.

Rilwan Ogunsowo, a member of Igbogbo Voice Out With Peaceful Protest to Absolutely End SARS, End SWAT, End Police Brutality, Igbogbo ‘Ti Soro Soke,’ said there is no difference between SARS and SWAT. He noted that out of the 1,850 policemen government plan to integrate into SWAT, more than half of the number are likely to be those from SARS.

“I don’t see any difference. There are fresh university graduates; Higher National Diploma (HND) holders, and even those with Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) everywhere. Why can’t they recruit these people and train them to form whatever scheme they are planning?

“If these people continue this way, 99 per cent of youths in this country will not participate in the forthcoming election which is around the corner. We will tell them that there is power in cohesion,” he said.

Our correspondent observed that the Igbogbo #EndSARS/#EndSWAT protest was full of fun as children also took part in dancing and competing among themselves who would emerge the best dancer.

Igbogbo road was totally blocked for traffic.