19102020 - #EndSARS: Stop Army's planned Op Crocodile Smile

36—Vanguard, MONDAY,OCTOBER 19, 2020
#EndSARS: Stop Army's planned Op Crocodile Smile
Continues from Page 35
will do everything in our
powers to protect the lives
and property of our people.”
SARS dissolution
won’t end police
brutality — Catholic
bishops
Reacting to the ongoing
protests yesterday, the Catholic
Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria,
CBCN, said the dissolution
of the Special Anti-
Robbery Squad, SARS by the
Inspector-General of Police,
IGP Mohammed Adamu,
would not end police brutality
in the country.
Likening the order disbanding
SARS to treating symptoms
of a disease when the root
cause was known, the Bishops
reiterated that restructuring
Nigeria remained the best
path to tow, given the various
developments in the country.
CBCN President, Archbishop
Augustine Obiora
Akubeze, who stated this in an
address to all Catholics in
Nigeria, in view of the ongoing
#EndSARS protests. said
the Catholic Bishops aligned
with the agitation for an end
to police brutality and oppression.
Arguing that audacity and
impunity of SARS agents was
a manifestation of the failing
state of Nigeria, Archbishop
Akubeze said government
must realize that there could
be no peace without justice.
He said: “I send you greetings
from the Catholic Bishops
Conference of Nigeria
(CBCN) on this occasion of
the widespread protest calling
for an end to the Special Anti-
Robbery Squad (SARS) of the
Nigeria Police Force.
“It is remarkable and quite
commendable that this protest
is being led by the youths
of Nigeria who are tired of
suffering from the brutality
and injustices perpetrated by
officers of the SARS and the
Nigeria Police Force as a
whole.
“There is hardly any Nigerian
who has not directly or
indirectly encountered the
crude and inhuman manner
the SARS officials deal with
the citizens of this country. The
youths are therefore simply
calling for justice, not just for
themselves, but for the entire
nation so that Nigeria can
have peace. Whereas the Federal
Government keeps asking
for peace and calm in the
face of every crisis, the present
agitation shows that our
youths have run out of patience
and are tired of the lipservice
paid by the government
of the day towards a just
and peaceful society.
“We unequivocally add our
voice to those of our youth and
that of every well-meaning
Nigerian to condemn the excesses
and the horrible operations
of this police unit and the
bad omen they portend to our
democracy.
“The Government of Nigeria
must realise that anyone
who desires peace, must work
for and cherish justice since
there can be no true peace
where injustice is the order of
the day as it is in Nigeria today.
“We need to also remind
ourselves that peace is not the
absence of war because wherever
there is injustice, war has
already been declared on the
people. Thus, the cries of our
children protesting against the
brutality of the SARS that
manifests in extra-judicial killings,
unlawful arrests, profiling
of youths as criminals, the
invasion of their privacy by
searching phones and laptops
without any warrant or any
just cause, and the incarceration
of many of the youths in
the SARS custody without trial,
are all cries for justice.
“We the members of the
CBCN have followed the protests
with keen interest and call
on the Federal Government of
Nigeria once again to listen
to the cry for justice so that
peace can reign in our country.
“The protest seems to have
a life of its own and it is spreading
all over the country; this
shows that most Nigerians are
facing the same oppression
and brutality inflicted by the
SARS. We urge the Federal
Government to fulfil its primary
constitutional responsibility
of securing life and property
of every Nigerian and provide
opportunities for our children
to realise their God-given
potentials.
“The EndSARS protest is a
microcosm of the fundamental
problems in Nigeria. The
audacity and impunity with
which the SARS officials have
been operating all the while is
a manifestation of the failing
State of Nigeria. Various bodies
and patriotic Nigerians
have expressed the opinion
that just ending the SARS will
not solve the enormous problems
of Nigeria, because it is
futile treating symptoms of a
disease when the root cause is
known.
“A centralized Police Force
in Nigeria is primarily responsible
for the lack of grassroots
accountability for the crimes
perpetrated by the SARS and
their likes.
“We reiterate that restructuring
this country is a desirable
path to be towed given the various
developments in this nation.
The knee jerk reaction of
the administration by abolishing
the SARS and setting
up the Special Weapons and
Tactics, SWAT, team portrays
either the absence of an understanding
of the entire problem
or a lack of sincerity to
address the problem. The Nigerian
Government must realise
that what the youths, on
behalf of Nigerians, clamour
for under the code name
#EndSARS is a total reform
of the entire Police Force and
not a change of name. They
are asking for a system that
will be hard on crimes and
criminals in the society within
the ambience of the law,
while at the same time treating
every human being, citizens
and visitors alike, with respect
and dignity."
Buhari, Lawan,
Gbaja meet
Meanwhile, PRESIDENT
Muhammadu Buhari and the
leadership of the National
Assembly, led by President of
the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan,
and speaker of the House of
Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila,
yesterday met at the
Presidential Villa, Abuja, over
the ongoing nationwide
#ENDSARS protest.
PROTEST IN BENIN—#EndSARS protesters block the ever-busy
Ekheuan Road, Benin City, yesterday. Photo: Alemma Aliu.
The meeting, it was gathered,
was to review the ongoing
#EndSARS protests
across the country and determine
the quickest way to implement
the protesters’ fivepoint
demand.
Speaking to State House
correspondents after the meeting,
the Senate President said
the parley with the President
was to decide on an expeditious
manner to implement
the demands. He said it was a
trying moment for the government
and thanked the President
for exhibiting great democratic
credentials.
Lawan, who pointed out that
the youth had made their legitimate
demands and that
government has listened, said:
“This is certainly a trying
moment for our country and
the leadership of this country.
As the National Assembly, we
believe we have critical and
crucial roles in ensuring that
the current situation of protests
across the country is
brought to an end.
“I want to thank Mr President
for exhibiting his very
deep democratic credentials.
The protests have gone on for
over 10 days, probably today
is the 11th day across many
states of the country.
“I think the protesters have
expressed their legitimate
rights, the government has listened
and the essence of coming
to meet Mr President is to
review the situation and see
the roles the two arms of government
should play in ensuring
that the five-point demands
of the protesters are
properly addressed.
“Where legislative intervention
will be required, we are
ready to move in and deal with
such expeditiously to ensure
that we do not waste any time,
so that we address the concerns
of our youths.
“Where the executive role is
expected, we are sure that the
executive will also expedite
action and we will be watching
to ensure that such demands
are properly met.
“It is also very critical at this
point to mention this. Since
the protests have taken place
and the issues have been accepted,
the time has come for
the protests to stop because
government needs to have sufficient
time and conducive
environment to implement the
demands of the protesters.
“We also need to have our
economy to continue to go on.
When you try to stop people
from engaging in their lawful
ABUJA — The Minis
ter of Defence Maj
Gen Bashir Magashi (retd)
has cautioned EndSARS
protesters against breaching
national security.
General Magashi gave the
caution when the National
Coordinator Buhari Campaign
Organisation, BCO,
Danladi Pasali led the Executives
drawn from its Headquarters,
Zonal and State
levels on courtesy visit to him
at the Ministry of Defence,
Ship House, Abuja.
He extoled the virtues of
President Muhammadu Buhari
whom he described as
a forthright leader and
thanked members of the Buhari
Campaign Organisation
for promoting his political
ideology, democratic
governance, Rule of Law
and philosophy.
The Minister of Defence
who told the group of his pioneering
membership of the
Buhari Organisation which
dates back to the years of All
activities, closing roads to
markets and other economic
places, such will distract the
country’s economy and that
is not the best way to go.
“If the issues have not been
accepted, then there would
have been genuine reasons to
continue with the protests but
since the issues have been accepted,
we should give government
time to implement the
issues.
“Therefore, I am seizing this
opportunity to appeal to our
youths who are protesting that
the protests have already
yielded the desired results.
First, they said ‘end SARS.’
That was the beginning and
SARS was scrapped, not by the
IGP. SARS was scrapped by
the President himself.
“The President made a presidential
statement. And that
was the first time a President
will say end SARS and SARS
has ended. The other issues
followed. They are being addressed,
and that is why we are
here. I believe the time has
come for these protests to
come to an end and allow government
to address the issues
in a very short time.
“I also believe that Nigerians
have legitimate rights to
go about their lawful businesses
without let or hindrance. We
cannot have that when the
roads are blocked. We do not
want a situation that will lead
to a degeneration of law and
order because if somebody is
blocked and he feels he must
have his way.
“So, we will ask that withdrawing
from these protests at
this time is the right thing to
do. Meanwhile, give us the
opportunity to deal with matters
that we have agreed as a
government to handle.”
On his part, speaker of the
House of Representatives,
Femi Gbajabiamila said: “
We have met with the President
and I can assure you that
there is no bigger democrat
than Mr President. He gave
us a listening ear, the same that
he always gives Nigerians.
“He accepted absolutely
everything that Nigerians
asked for. I have heard the stories
that we have heard end
SARS like four times before.
That is what people are saying.
“Like I said, you have never
heard it from Mr President,
but now, he has said so. So, let
us tarry a little while. Let us sit
back. We have got what we
want, let us sit back and see
what happens.
“If you like, you begin your
protests again if nothing happens
in two weeks. But let us
not continue this thing and
lose the plot. That is what I
don’t want. I don’t want our
youths to lose the plot. They
have done so well in terms of
expressing their grievances
and it is important we don’t
get side-tracked.
“Of course, there are tangential
issues that they have discussed
after the EndSARS. We
have spoken with Mr President
and he is looking at everything.
Some of these things
are policy matters that are not
going to happen overnight.
You are not going to have electricity
overnight; it is not going
to happen tomorrow. Free
road is not going to happen
tomorrow.
“It is a process and the important
thing is that the government
has heard you loud
and clear. It is a continuous
engagement. We will be engaging
our youths in matters
of policy and communicate
with Mr President as well on
what needs to be done.
“So, again, let us not lose
the plot, let us remain focused.
Points have been made
like never before in the history
of Nigeria and that is kudos
to the young men and
women out there.”
On the attack on the Osun
State Governor, he said, “As
far as Osun State is concerned,
it is unfortunate what happened
to the state governor.
This is where I said we are beginning
to lose the plot.
“Osun state governor is
loved by everybody in the state.
He came to address people
and that was what he got. At
that point, we begin to wonder
what exactly do we want?
Is there an unseen hand? I
don’t think there is an unseen
hand. This is a movement. We
should not allow people to infiltrate
what otherwise is a
good course.
#ENDSARS: Defence Minister warns
protesters against undermining
national security
Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP,
told them to fortify their
flanks and ranks against
subversive peneration of
mischief makers capable of
causing distraction, disaffection
and division among
them.
He assured them of the
support of the Ministry of
Defence in actualising their
lofty programmes in raising
the bar of national security.
He said they should leverage
on their structure in the
774 local government areas
and 36 states of the federation,
as well as the Federal
Capital Territory to gather
intelligence and channel it
to the appropriate authorities
for action.
Earlier, the National Coordinator
of the Organisation,
Danladi Pasali said the
objective of the courtesy call
was to congratulate the
Minister on his one year in
office and to thank him for
emplacing what he called
gigantic reforms in the Military.
Thanking General Magashi
for his focused leadership
in contributing to national
peace and security,
they offered to render service
to the relevant authorities to
burst crimes capable of
threatening Peace and Security
in the country.
He recalled the dogged
and dedicated role played
by the group in the electoral
victories of President Buhari
in the 2011 and 2019 Presidential
election, adding that
the organisation was
spurred to establish National/
Community Support Security
Initiative to key into
the fight against Boko
Haram terrorists in the
North East, banditry in the
North Central and kidnapping
in the Niger Delta.
He therefore solicited the
backing of the ministry for
the initiative to succeed towards
contributing their
quota to the maintenance of
peace, security and socioeconomic
development of
the country.