Leaderless protest and govt’s wrong approach


Apparently, young Nigerians have endured enough human rights violations and bad governance despite their large constituency in the population. Their active participation when it comes to the issue of election is not measurable; they are the largest class that gave the present government the highest number of votes to win election both in 2015 and 2019.As a matter of fact, police brutality is one out of hundred issues that has been ‘killing’ Nigerians silently over a decade and nothing has been done from the side of the government to hold them accountable for their unprofessional  misconduct.
I had a  personal encounter with SARs personnel on 6th October this year in Akure in Ondo state on my way to Ifedore local Government to train Election observers.  I was in a black Lexus car when the police took us and surrounded  our car with guns like terrorists or a notorious armed group. I asked the driver to park by the road side, while one of the Sars official asked me to come down from the car or he will waste my life. I quickly stepped out and identified myself but he insisted that I should lie down like a criminal. This is just a simple incident compared with countless young   people that faced similar and ugly incidence over time. In June this year, Amnesty International released a report which revealed over 82 cases of torture, ill treatment and extra judicial killing over the period of three years.  I am fully in support of the protest and agitation for the reforms not just as a victim but also a Nigerian citizen who believes so much in the country and democracy, the country must address these violations for us to progress. However, the END SARs protest got out of control as a result of poor coordination partly due to lack of a well identified leaders who can control the protesters speak with one voice without any faction or misdirection.   
 The proclaimed  leaderless protest has spread to almost every part of the country like wildfire. This poor coordination and leadership gave politicians an upper hand to hire thugs and hijack the peaceful protest especially in Abuja, Jos, Lagos, Edo and Kano state. Gory videos went viral on the social media portraying young people attacking innocent citizens, setting ablaze vehicles and business and even invaded the prison and setfree prisoners in Benin City, the capital city of Edo state. To make matters worse, some thugs were sighted with guns believed to have been taken from the police stations.  Anytime Nigerian youths stand up against injustice, reactions will be different and of course will result in bloodshed. The hoodlums and security agencies killing the innocent young people will continue to live freely without any punishment.  In recent days the violence has escalated in most places where the peaceful protests are taking place, several lost their lives and many sustained serious injuries especially with the brutal approach of the military at the Lekki toll gate. This is not a democracy we are pretending to have practiced for over 20 years because functioning democracy doesn’t kill its people or silent their power to voice out their opinion on national issues.

In as much as I commend the youths for speaking against injustice or brutality being meted on them by the defunct SARS, it’s unfortunate that    disgruntled elements have undermined and discredited the effort of the EndSars protest. While some have called on the president to resign, it’s advisable for people to use their power of votes in the forthcoming general election to effect necessary leadership changes. The ongoing protests across the country should serve as a wake-up call to government that there is poverty, unemployment and hunger in the country. Government should quickly come up with a stimulus package to eradicate poverty in the country.  Idris Mohammed,Katsina, Katsina state.   

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