#EndSARS memorial: Osun youths rule out street protest

Youths in Osun state on Wednesday ruled out street demonstrations and protest to mark the memorial anniversary of last year’s #EndSARS protests.

One of the leaders of the youths under the aegis of Osun Civil Society Movement, Ayo Ologun, said, “We are holding a programme at Aurora Event Center, Osogbo today to commemorate the anniversary and after that, there will be candlelight procession within the premises. We are not holding street demonstrations or protests.

“It is a constitutional right of anybody to protest so if any youths embark on street protest today they have police to deal with. At our own programme, what we will do is to dialogue on #EndSARS issues, lessons learnt and the regrets.”

While featuring on a private radio station, RAVE FM, during a talk show programme on Wednesday, one of the leaders of #EndSARS in Osun, Queen Aderemi, said, “We are peacefully engaging government since they are ready to dialogue with us. If they we would have embarked on street protests like Lagos and Abuja but there is a programme organized to commemorate the memorial anniversary.”

Meanwhile, a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Yemisi Opalola warned youths and groups of people not to embark on protest in commemoration of the first anniversary of #ENDSARS.

“Commissioner of Police has given marching orders to the Area commanders, Divisional Police Officers and Tactical units to be at alert and nip in the bud any act capable of truncating the peace of the state.

“The CP advised parents and guardians to warn their wards to be law-abiding, and desist from such planned protest/gathering/ assembly as the State Police Command will arrest and prosecute defaulters.”