#ENDSARS: FCT security c’ttee prohibits street demonstrations
…thugs sustain attacks on protesters in Lagos, as Sanwo-olu promises investigation
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Security Committee yesterday prohibited any form of street demonstrations in the territory.
In Lagos, armed thugs, again on Thursday, attacked the ENDSARS protesters at Alausa, Ikeja, the seat of government in Nigeria’s former capital city, just as the protest spread to other parts of the state, including Okota in Oshodi-isolo, while also being sustained in the Lekki axis.
As a result, vehicular traffic around Okota, Cele and their adjoining areas was disrupted for hours, forcing commuters in their hundreds to resort to trekking long distances to their destinations.
Businessday recalled that pandemonium broke out on Wednesday at the Berger roundabout, Abuja when the pro and anti-sars protesters clashed, leading to the vandalisation of five vehicles and the arrest of many protesters by the police.
In a press statement, the chief press secretary to the FCT minister, Anthony Ogunleye, said the committee came up with the decision after its routine meeting on Tuesday, October 13, 2020, to review the security situation in the FCT with a view to addressing identified challenges.
Ogunleye hinted that the meeting, which was chaired by the FCT minister, Muhammad Bello, had extensive deliberations with heads of the various security agencies and military formations in the FCT, senior members of staff of the FCTA, representatives of religious and traditional institutions as well as area council chairmen.
He noted that the committee was satisfied with the President’s directive to the police boss to disband the Special Anti-robbery Squad (SARS) as well as other reforms aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of the Nigerian police.
According to the statement, “The committee noted with satisfaction the directive by President Muhammadu Buhari to the Inspector-general of Police to disband SARS as well as other reforms aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of the Nigerian police.
“However, the committee noted with concern that despite the pronouncement by the Inspector General of Police scrapping the FSARS, the #ENDSARS protests continued in parts of the territory, saying the protesters caused inconveniences to law abiding citizens.
Meanwhile, Governor Babajide Sanw-olu has said his administration would investigate the attack on the ENDSARS protesters in Lagos.
The governor was responding to a trending video showing suspected armed thugs alighting from a Lagos State government branded BRT bus with dangerous weapons with which they attacked the protesters.
Sanwo-olu through his verified twitter handle @jidesanwoolu on Thursday condemned the attack.
“I strongly condemn the attack of peaceful protesters by armed and unscrupulous elements trying to cause chaos in Alausa today. My government will never tolerate the attack of protesters. Security agents will immediately protect peaceful protesters from miscreants.