Okwe Obi, Abuja
The Nigerian Police have been commended for dispersing alleged miscreants who disguised as #EndSARS protesters, besieged the National Assembly, and disrupt vehicular movement, in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The commendation, which came from a group known as ‘Genuine #EndSARS Protesters’, further urged the Federal Government, to arrest and revoke the bail bond of an activist, Omoyele Sowore, for allegedly instigating some youth to continue the protest despite government’s effort to meet the demands of the citizens.
In a statement jointly signed yesterday, by Coordinators across the 6 Geo-political zones; Orji Nwakocha, Aremu Babatunde, Frank Jaja, Ibrahim Dan Iya, Mohammed Adamu, Dakwohi Samson, Comrade Peter Yohana, they appealed to parents to guide their children against fomenting trouble, but to allow the Federal Government complete its public hearing on the matter.
Nwakoacha said: “We want to commend the police for dispersing misguided youth who tried inciting Nigerians against government, at the National Assembly.
“More so, the Genuine #EndSARS Protesters, being the body of the real people that protested recently against the police Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS’ excessive powers and brutality, have been watching with concern the attempt by one Omoyele Sowore to hijack our platform to further his inordinate ambition.
“We feel concerned that after we backed down from the protests and are now engaging governments at all levels with a view to resolving the issues that informed the protest, the said Mr Sowore is busy assembling some misguided elements using our platform.
“We are, however, not surprised at Mr Sowore’s insistence on protest given his antecedent. We recall that he had called on revolution against the present federal administration, leading to his arrest and detention. And given his ignoble role in this act, we are not surprised at what he is driving at. It is in this regard that we wish to strongly appeal to the security agencies to see Mr Sowore as a security threat and treat him as one.
“By this, we are not only calling on his arrest but also appealing to the federal authorities to immediately arrest and withdraw his bail conditions for flouting the conditions attached to it.
“It may be further recalled that, owing to the entrenchment of democratic tenets under the current administration, which adheres strictly to the principle of rule of law, institutional independence and non-interference, the court graciously granted Sowore bail, with conditions attached therein.
“One of such conditions, was a restriction on addressing public gatherings, until the criminal trial was concluded.
“In his characteristic disobedience to law and properly constituted authorities, Sowore has continued to observe that aspect of his bail conditions in the breach.
“We have taken the pain of articulating these points, to show to the world who this man truly is, as a prelude to the obvious attempt to hijack a worthy cause initiated by patriotic youths with genuine agitations.
“Having said this, we wish to unequivocally call on the security agencies to immediately arrest and detain Mr Omoyele Sowore for investigation.
“Drawing attention to the event at the National Assembly gate where the youths assembled by Mr Sowore to protest against the government under the guise of #EndSARS were dispersed, the group commended Nigeria police for the action.
“His desperate attempts to relaunch the #EndSARS protests, which have since been rested by the original promoters, to allow action from governments at the various levels is unacceptable.
“We hereby call on millions of our articulate, ever-conscious and responsible youths across the 36 states of the federation, and the FCT, to resist this latest antics by Sowore, as it will not only threaten the relative peace being enjoyed today, but disturb the socio-economic fabric of a nation negotiating recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.”