WANEP-Nigeria asks #EndSARS protesters to dialogue with FG

The West Africa Network for Peacebuilding, Nigeria (WANEP-Nigeria) and its member organisations have asked #EndSARS protesters to put forward representatives from the six geopolitical zones to dialogue with the federal government.

Bridget Osakwe, the organisation’s national network coordinator, in a statement on Tuesday, said the peaceful protests which started on October 8 have now been hijacked by hoodlums.

Osakwe also noted that WANEP has set up a situation room to monitor and analyse the protests and government responses for appropriate policy recommendations.

“While we salute the resilience, courage and commitment of the Nigerian youths to utilise a non-violent approach to express their grievances within the confines of the law to provoke desired changes, suspected hoodlums have exploited the protests to increase their criminal activities in Delta, Abuja, Lagos, Osun and Edo States,” the statement read.

“This has resulted in 3 deaths in Delta and Edo States with several persons injured, destruction of vehicles, setting ablaze of police stations, looting of shopping malls and a prison break resulting in the imposition of a 24-hour curfew to curtail violence by the Governors of Edo and Lagos States.

“We, therefore, set up a Situation Room to monitor and analyse the protest and government responses for appropriate policy recommendations.

“WANEP Nigeria also uses this medium to call for widespread consultations with key stakeholders to find lasting solutions to the protests.

“The youths to put forward representatives from the six geopolitical zones to dialogue with the Federal Government to ensure all their concerns and needs are brought to the table to proffer recommendations that will promote peace and security in Nigeria.”

The organisation also commended the actions taken so far in ensuring that the five-point demand of the protesters is met.

“We commend the Federal Government and the Inspector General of the Nigeria Police (IGP) for the disbandment of the SARS unit and setting up of a new Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team as well as the approval of the five points demand issued by the youth,” she said.

“Other proposed interventions by National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to set up an independent investigation panel to look into human rights violations by the SARs and the establishment of a two hundred (200) million naira trust fund to compensate victims of police brutality by the Lagos State government are applaudable actions aimed to respond to the grievances of the youths.”

Meanwhile, the #EndSARS protests, on Tuesday, witnessed a wave of violence across the country.

Police stations were set ablaze in Lagos, Oyo and Abuja, while protesters who had converged on Lekki area of Lagos were shot.