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Just like the EndSARS protest was mismanaged, the government is once again mismanaging the post- EndSARS project . Is freezing the accounts of the organizers of the protest the best way to build confidence between the youths and the state? Is putting some of our brightest in jail or forcing them into exile the best way to go? Is labeling the protesters as terrorists while bandits and Fulani herdsmen roam large the best we can do? We know the original EndSARS protesters whom we are now hunting down were largely peaceful. For the weeks they protested police brutality they were peaceful, they were coordinated, amongst themselves they were enforcing discipline. We all agreed they were exercising their democratic rights under Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution. We all saw their demands and said they were justified . Even the president’s daughter and Vice President’s daughter reportedly endorsed the protest. Can we now say these kids were terrorists and terrorists‘ sympathizers and enablers . We saw how things began to go awry the moment rival protesters were recruited and unleashed on the peaceful protesters . We all saw how over two hundred cars were razed down in Apo, Abuja and who did it and under whose supervision. Why is the state not investigating the Apo incident ? Why are they hunting down perceived leaders of the peaceful protest, labeling them as terrorists,arresting and detaining them , freezing their accounts and and forcing some to flee into exile?
Is it that our leaders are unaware that those who burnt down properties in Lagos and other places are not the peaceful protesters?
Are they unaware that those who looted and burnt properties in Abuja , threatened to burn down the Central Bank and Christian Ecumenical Centre were hoodlums recruited to counter the largely peaceful EndSARS protest powered by patriotic youths? The videos are there in the public. Why are those evidences not being reviewed by our security agencies?
Wait a second, is our government proud of the atrocities of the now disbanded SARS . Are we proud of the bloodletting and levels of insecurity in the country? I had thought we would have learnt one or two lessons from the SARS protest but apparently like the civil war fought between Nigeria and Biafra , we have learnt nothing .
The voice of the youths mustn’t be suppressed , their complaints should be heard and positively responded to . Intimidation and arm twisting may boomerang if we don’t treat this matter with care. There is no point pretending that all is well with Nigeria. Things are not good. We have had enough of impunity of the ruling class and the brutality of the police. We have had enough of corruption and executive recklessness. The youths, our moral army through the EndSARS protest have said enough is enough. It’s either we build a better Nigeria based on justice or give way.
The youths are exhausted with failed promises by a succession of failed leadership that didn’t provide them with the much-needed safety, prosperity and opportunity.
The EndSARS protest is only a consequence of their being tired of being lied to, deceived and neglected for too long. The youths were right and justified to protest against police brutality, insecurity and incessant killings across the country. A good government will take a cue from the youths and re-engineer the country. The youths protest which started on a peaceful note became bloody because it was hijacked by sponsored hoodlums.
There are stories of how sponsored thugs sympathetic to the government attacked peaceful protesters and eventually hijacked the protest. The sponsored thugs eventually went out of control and took advantage of the situation to vandalize and loot private and public properties .
Also, commonly referenced was the now famous ‘Lekki Toll Gate Massacre’- an encounter between protesters and soldiers which was live streamed. The sight of armed soldiers shooting at protesters angered a terrified nation and robbed the government of any sympathy. The ‘Lekki Massacre’ took the protest out of the control of the EndSARS protesters and gave way for hoodlums to vandalize, attack, raze and loot public and private properties.
Lagos and Calabar were the worse hit. It is estimated that Lagos will require as much as One Trillion Naira to rebuild damaged assets. The story of Calabar was most pathetic. It brought out the beast in the people. This is a state with one of the lowest Federal Allocation in Nigeria . Since 1999, the state had used creative means to develop her tourism potential. But in just two days of madness , all that were the pride of the state were mindlessly destroyed and looted. This is a big shame.
A review of public assets that were either destroyed, vandalized , razed or looted on the day the devil took over Calabar will make the bravest of heart to weep. I don’t know how the city will recover from such wickedness. Whereas peaceful protest is legitimate in democracy, violent protest, looting , vandalization, destruction of lives and properties is condemnable and will not be acceptable .
The ongoing investigation panels in states to look into police brutality rather than be a ploy to witch-hunt genuine peaceful protesters should be an opportunity to awaken political will in leaders to address all the other ugly demons bedeviling us as a country which gave rise to the built up frustration of the youths.
I think it’s important we embrace peace . It’s good we unite as one and go right to reconciliation between the people and the police. The government and the police need to earn back the people’s trust and confidence . The police should eradicate the bad eggs in the force .They need not blackmail the citizens by refusing to go back to work . We have too many guns in private hands right now and these guns were stolen from police armories. Those guns need to be retrieved back. We need citizens to help with information.
Nigerians including the youths believe the police need a strong tactical team like SARS to confront violent criminals but the disbanded SARS committed unwholesome atrocities hence the need for their disbandment , general police reforms and improved welfare.
There are people who believe another protest will erupt again if there are cover- ups and if government refuses to meet the demands and general aspiration of the people. Restructuring remains a key factor that will address most of the problems underlying the protest. I hope government will stop dragging feet on this issue and commence the process of restructuring; it is in the interest of the country as it will engender progress , peace and unity .
Despite the justified anger of the youths who embarked on the protest, it will be ill advised for them to embark on another protest which may further destroy the country thereby jeopardizing the safety we all want and the prosperity we desire. We must reject every effort by mischief makers to tribalize the protest and pit us against one another. We are one big Nigerian family. Though we may hate each other we must avoid resorting to violence to settle our- differences. We must always see each other not as mortal enemies but as roommates.
Rather than kill policemen and destroying their properties, we can still reform our police to be our friend in times of trouble except if we have made peace with the devil and its offsprings. If we want to survive or sleep with our eyes closed , we’re going to have to find a way to live together with one another in peace and work together with the police as friends and partners in the quest for a society built on law and order .
To do otherwise is to have lost our minds. Those guns looted by hoodlums will soon be turned on us. We don’t have to wait for this to happen before realizing police is our friends and that we need each other.
The journey of rebuilding a new Nigeria where no one is better than the other on account of tribe, religion or tongue can start now and we need justice and we need peace to get to that destination. We have to live in peace , because no other country will take us if we begin to destroy each other and all that we have. I will encourage the youths to use 2023 to demonstrate their citizens power by wisely choosing leaders not on the basis of tribe or religion but on the strength of the capacity, experience and competence of such leaders to lead well.
In 2023, the youths must help elect leaders with global, economic and political experience. We must resolve to choose leaders whose involvement in politics is service; leaders who are decent, selfless and sincere, resourceful and highly productive. The future president must be someone with an excellent reputation for integrity and outstanding character who can inspire and earn the trust of fellow citizens. What Nigeria needs is to innovate and we need a president who will lead the innovation, a president who will be a steady hand against an uncertain future, a man whose oath of office will be his promise to the nation. There are good men who fit this bill if only we can cast away our own ethnic demons and religious bigotry and see ourselves as one people, one nation under one God.
