#ENDSARS nationwide protests crippling economy

As the call for the end to police oppression and harassment continues across Nigerian cities by angry youths, the protesters on Friday blocked the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport road and took over the City Gate in Abuja.

The youths defied announcement made by the Minister of Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Muhammed Bello banning all protesters in the territory.

The youths in their number barricaded the expressway preventing vehicular movement to and from on the ever busy highway.

Nigerians who have booked their flight were forced to cancel it because they could not find their way to the airport.

Many residents living in the area were made to trek a long distance while many slept on the road.

The crowd which has continued to grow vowed not to back down on their demands until a country where the system will work for the betterment of the people is achieved.

Commuters living and doing business along the ever busy Airport Road (Umaru Yar’Adua Expressway) are now bearing the brunt of Friday’s #EndSarsNow protest.

The protesters had been busy on both sides of the expressway first blocking both sides of the road and prohibiting commuters from coming into or exiting the city via that route.

They had initially taken control of the City Gate before marching to Dantata Bridge, another detour route into the city which is about 4-5 km.

The resultant gridlock on both sides have forced majority of commuters heading home after the day’s work to trek distances to board vehicles coming from the other side but who had no choice than to turn back.

Commuters who expressed their ordeal urged government to take seriously the demands of the protesters before the peaceful protest get out of hand, saying there appears no end in sight to the raging #ENDSARS now gaining traction across the globe

 “There’s no end in sight to the raging protest. The way things are going, this may escalate to something we cannot foresee right now. The protest is already gaining traction across the globe. People are joining in several cities’ in Europe and here in Africa,” one commuter who called to narrate his experience told this reporter.

The crowd which has continued to grow vowed not to back down on their demands until a country where the system will work for the betterment of the people is achieved.

The youths were seen holding and waving the national flags symbolizing their act of patriotism.

They also displayed a banner containing the photographs of the victims of police brutality in the country.

Some of the protesters were also calling for the resignation of President Muhammadu Buhari and Inspector General of Police, Muhammad Adamu over their incompetence.

The blockade has led to heavy traffic jam in the area as motorists were forced to take alternative routes while the protesters vowed to pass a night on the highway.

Meanwhile armed policemen attached to the City Gate allowed the protesters to move unhindered.

Despite the appeal by Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to youths to end the protests against SARS intimidation and harassment, protesters on Friday defied the plea and stormed the Magboro area of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway to continue their demonstration against the disbanded unit of the Nigeria Police Force.

The protesters carried various placards with different inscriptions as they blocked the expressway, causing gridlock.

Gridlock, which started from Mowe axis of the expressway in Obafemi-Owode Local Government, Ogun State, stretched to Magboro end of Lagos axis.

Passengers who could not bear with the gridlock were, however, seen trekking.

However, at Alausa, the pro¬testers attacked a van believed to have been sent by the Lagos State chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly called MC Oluomo, to deliver water and drinks to protesters.

MC Oluomo was accused by protesters of sponsoring the attack by armed thugs on Thursday.

While denying any link to the attack, the transport union chief in a video he shared on social media said he supports the protest for police reform and could not have sent the thugs.

A day after the incident, MC Oluomo attempted to redeem his image in the eyes of the protesters, thereby sending water and drinks, branded with his name.

Some of the protesters, unaware of who sent the packs, collected and drank from the water and drinks before a protester raised an alarm about the food.

“MC Oluomo sent them, he wants to poison us, don’t drink the water,” he shouted.

Other protesters who also checked the name on the bottles stated throwing the bottles at the white van that conveyed them.

“We don’t want any support from MC Oluomo, they are trying to break us, they want to penetrate again,” some protesters shouted.

Angered by the gesture of the NURTW leader, the protesters threw bottles and other items at the van, as the driver sped from the venue to avoid being mobbed.

Some of the protesters who are Muslims also observed the Jumat prayers on the road, while the Christian counterparts shielded them from oncoming vehicles.

Meanwhile, a coalition of North¬ern groups also staged a peaceful protest in Gombe with a call on the Federal Government to tackle the challenges of insecurity that has bedeviled the region for many years now.

In a peaceful protest, they staged at the Pantami Stadium Gombe, Chairman of the Coalition, Ibrahim Mohammed said the ordinary man in the North, and especially the Northeast have suffered for a long time from incessant insecurity challenges, particularly, the Boko Haram insurgency, kidnapping and armed banditry.

Ibrahim Mohammed therefore urged the Federal government and security agencies to tackle security challenges affecting the region.

According to him, “Banditry, kidnapping, terrorism (Boko Haram), rape and major security threats should be ended in the region.

“People at the village can’t go to farm as a result of activities of armed bandits. We know that the security personnel are doing their best but we are not satisfied with the current security situation in the northern region,” he said.

Mohammed stated that the group was neither for or against Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) disbandment currently trending in the southern region.

Also speaking, Mariam Mustapha said Boko Haram has seriously affected the productivity of the re¬gion as a whole, thus, taking it ages backward.

She said, “we are not coming here because we are pro SARS, we are against any form of brutality on people. Here in the north east, for the past 10 years, we have been suffering from the effect of Boko Haram. We have been rendered useless because of the effect of insurgency.”

For youths in the North, their experiences as it relates to incidences of police brutality, can best be described as minimal. Infact, many view it as alien, as they have continued to wonder how a police officer or SARS personnel will brutalise any youth without other youths in the area standing up in support, against such policeman.

“Northern youths brook no nonsense,” Muhammed Kalid, a prominent youth activist said.

“We are battling with the problems of insecurity, kidnapping, banditry and not police brutality.

“No police or SARS personnel will try such here, we will chop am alive. They can only try that in the south, where our brothers over there will be speaking plenty ‘turanchi’. We do not have time for such. It is blood for blood.”

Reminded that Kaduna youths trooped out on Tuesday to protest, he said it was just to align with fellow youths in the country and not because they have experienced such.

“We are agitating for a safe country, where you can sleep with your eyes closed

“We are agitating for a peaceful north especially Kaduna where you can live and socialise freely not worrying about someone planning to kidnap you or your family members.”

Meanwhile, Sen. Shehu Sani who represented Kaduna Central senatorial zone in the 8th Assembly, has cautioned that banditry, kidnapping and insecurity in the north is not a justification for retaining SARS.

However, there has been no report of casualties so far amongst those who protested in Kaduna as the protest is not as serious as to what obtains in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and the Southern States.

There was also chaos yesterday in Agbor, Ika South Local Government Area of Delta State as ENDSARS protesters in the community invaded the Agbor Division Police Station.

Trouble started when the protesters were alleged fazed with hostility from the policemen which resulted in chaos.

It was gathered that the angry protesters then invaded the Police Station and carted away with the Police signpost.

While it was gathered that no police officer was harmed during the invasion of the Police Station, the protesters allegedly bugled several offices and destroyed several docu¬ments.

When contacted Police Public Relation Officer PPRO DSP Onome Onovwakpoyeya confirmed the incident.

She debunked the news of police hostility towards the protesters during the rally against police brutality in the community.

“No policeman shot at the protesters in Agbor. The police officer were calm during the process,” she said.

In Ibadan, Oyo State capital, hundreds of youths gathered in two major areas of the city, in the front of National Television Authority (NTA), Gate and Challenge roundabout, where Lagos and Ijebu motor parks are situated.

The protesters were demanding for the total scrapping of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), the Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT) as well as stoppage of general brutality against the populace.

As early as 7:30am, various exotic cars were seen driving in with difference foods and drinks, and as soon as the people were arriving the venue, they were being served with food and drinks of their choice.

Around 9:00am, the protesters were seen discussing in group by group waiting for others to join them for the commencement of the protest.

The protest seems to have turned to carnival as some of them were seen pouring champagne on the roads, drinking and eating on the roads.

By 10:00am, the protesters at Challenge roundabout blocked all the roads leading to Ring road, Toll- Gate, Orita-New Garage, which resulted into serious gridlock within the major roads in Ibadan.

Those at Gate were moving towards Mokola roundabout and Dugbe, which also caused serious hold up in that section of the town.

One of the protesters, Mr. Oye Okegbemi said that the movement was peaceful, stressing that the protests across the country were for the government to understand the plight of the masses.   (Saturday Independent)