#EndSARS: Fresh crisis looms as youths threaten to commence fresh protests in Lagos, Abuja tomorrow

Nigerian youths appear to be bracing up for a showdown with the Federal Government as they have vowed to return to the streets for what they described as the second wave of the #EndSARS protest, warning that no amount of intimidation from the government or security agencies would stop their demonstration.

The planned protest is coming against the backdrop of the perceived clampdown by government on prominent members of the #EndSARS campaign as their bank accounts were frozen by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on Friday while some were said to have been stopped from travelling out of the country.

A Federal High Court Judge had ordered the bank accounts to be frozen for a period of 90 days pending the outcome of investigation and inquiry currently being conducted by the apex bank. It was further gathered that many of those affected were prominent during last month’s nationwide protest which attracted global attention as thousands of people campaigned for an end to police brutality and abuse of power.

The president of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Olumide Akpata, also faulted the government for clamping down on #EndSARS promoters, describing the action of the government as unfortunate.

Akpata said in a Facebook post that it was unfortunate that notable #EndSARS promoters like Modupe Odele, DJ Switch, and others were being hounded by the government while others had their bank accounts frozen.

Activist and public commentator, Aisha Yesufu said it was unfortunate that the apex bank didn’t freeze the accounts of corrupts SARS officers who extort money from the citizens but was hounding innocent protesters.

“CBN did not block the account of the numerous SARS officers that were alleged to have extorted money from the citizens at gunpoint, forcing them to transfer money to their accounts but it blocked the account of those who protested the extortion and killings by SARS officers,” she said.

Young Nigerians, who took to social media platforms, especially on Twitter said the government was calling for anarchy by freezing accounts of the same people who have been invited to be part of a judicial panel probing the alleged shootings.

Youths across the country have begun to mobilise ahead of another protest as they vowed to occupy CBN administrative quarters in Abuja on Monday and some parts of Lagos if the government refused to shift ground. They demanded the immediate release of the international passports seized from some prominent members of the campaign, saying the government may be calling for anarchy.

“A twitter user @von_Bismack wrote:”Second wave of #EndSARS protests start on Monday November 9, in front of CBN administrative quarters. Emefiele invited us and we would pay him the required visit.”  (Sunday Tribune)