By Beifoh Osewele and Molly Kilete, Abuja
Palpable panic and tension gripped several Nigerians, yesterday, following heavy security deployment in Lagos, Abuja, Ibadan, others cities over fears of outbreak of another wave of EndSARS protest.
Organisers of the protests, who have raised awareness on the social media, said the second phase was to demand among other things, release of all protesters detained during the first action, unfreezing of all accounts frozen by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as a result of the earlier protest and a referendum.
In October, the protest against police brutality and the excesses of the now defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), were staged across major cities in the country.
The EndSARS protest had earlier began on October 8 in Lagos and later spread to other states. For nearly two weeks, agitators demanded an end to police brutality. But the protest spiralled out of control on October 21, a day after the Lekki shooting. Hoodlums, in many states, targeted attack on residences and businesses. Several public and private property were looted or torched. The Federal Government said the unrest led to the the death of scores of civilians and security operatives.
In the renewed protest, scores of youths under the aegis of Face of #EndSARS Movement, chanting solidarity songs, yesterday, marched through the streets of Osogbo and stormed the Osun State House of Assembly, where they demanded an audience with the leadership of the Assembly.
The protesters led by Emmanuel Adebisi demanded good governance, among other things.
In the FCT, as news of protest spread, some parents hurriedly rushed to schools to pick their wards while shop owners closed their shops to prevent them from being vandalised or looted.
However, Daily Sun visits to most parts of Abuja, including the satellite towns, showed that the city was peaceful. But not to be caught unawares, security agencies were placed on red alert as they patrolled the city in trucks to show their presence.
At the popular Berger junction in Abuja and around the Wuse and Garki area of Abuja, Daily Sun sighted ten trucks load of security personnel compromising soldiers, police, civil Defence, Federal Road Safety Corps, Immigration, VIO, Correctional service among other security agencies patrolling the city.
Spokesman of the FCT police command, Mariam Yusuf, said there is nothing like #EndSARS protest going on in Abuja as it is being alleged.
In Lagos, armed wielding policemen and soldiers as well as operatives of the NSCDC and LASTMA were deployed around Lekki toll gate plaza, Agege, Ketu, Ikeja and other “flashpoints” to stall another wave of protest.
Security operatives were said to have arrived at the tollgate in four trucks yesterday morning while other sources claimed they were deployed around midnight on Sunday.
Similarly, Ogun State police command has warned any persons or group of persons planning to stage any form of protest to desist from such action or face the full wrath of the law.
A statement by the command spokesperson, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, said: “It has come to the knowledge of Ogun state Police Command that some misguided individuals are planning to stage a violent protest tagged “EndSARS Phase II” today, 7th of December 2020 in Ogun State .
“While the command recognises that it is the right of citizens to employ protest to express their grievances over issues of governance, there is however nothing at present that calls for such protest in the gateway state, except for those who see troublemaking as a lucrative business.
“No reasonable person after the massive destruction of properties and loss of lives occasioned by the recent #EndSARS protest would again be contemplating another violent protest so soon. It is the most callous thing to conceive and do.
“In Ogun State, we have, since the end of #EndSARS protest been enjoying well-deserved peace. Socio-economic activities have resumed fully. Schools have also resumed, and the children, in particular, can be seen happily resuming and closing from schools.
“Only an enemy of the people, therefore, would wish to re-enact the #EndSARS mayhem.”
Also, Lagos police spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi had in a statement on Sunday December 6, said some unpatriotic individuals and groups were planning to embark on the replica of the recent destructive and violent EndSARS protest on Monday. He described it as “illegal” and further averred that they will be stopping the protest.
However, Anambra Civil Society Network (ACSONET) and a Coalition of Anambra Youth Leaders (CAYL) have urged people of the state to shun the clamour for #EndSARSRenewedProtests in Anambra.
They made the call in two separate statements in Awka.
In the statement signed by ACSONET’s Chairman, Mr Chris Azor, the group urged the people to go about their lawful activities with a view to promoting peace and tranquility.
Similarly, CAYL in its statement said it had resolved not to participate in the second phase of the #EndSARS protests or attacks that would affect the socio-economic activities in particular and the stability of the state in general.
CAYL’s chairman, Mr Nwabufo Nwankwo and other youth leaders, who signed the statement warned youths to desist from participating in the protest.