Yahaya Bello, Kogi governor, says the country is not ripe
for another round of demonstrations against police brutality.
Bello said this in reaction to reports that protesters are
returning to the streets in some cities to demonstrate against police
brutality.
In October, many citizens took to the streets across Nigeria
to express their frustration against police harassment.
However, hoodlums hijacked the demonstrations to unleash
violence on citizens. Public and private property was looted and destroyed in
the process.
Addressing a press conference on Sunday, Bello said another
round of demonstrations will not be only premature but also counterproductive.
The governor said the youth should consolidate on the gains
of the protest by fully participating in various judicial panels of inquiry set
up by the various state governments.
“In the face of all this and as the first sitting governor
who publicly upheld the rights of our youths to protest against police
brutality, I cannot in all good conscience agree that the time is ripe for
another round of #EndSARS protests,” he said.
“I deem another round of #EndSARS protests to be premature
and counter-productive at this time. Apart from the higher likelihood of
conflict with the police earlier canvassed, we must also admit that the
security situation in the country is very precarious at the moment.
“All patriots must therefore make conscious efforts not to
degrade a parlous security situation further. Nationwide protests at this time
will only overburden the load-bearing capabilities of our security architecture
increasing the likelihood of total collapse. No matter the narrative, I doubt
that out-of-control anarchy is an objective of the #EndSARS protests.”
Bello said the youth should note that the country’s economy
is bleeding owing to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“To worsen matters, the United Nations Development Programme
(UNDP) predicted 3 days ago that the pandemic could push the number of people
living in extreme poverty to over 1 billion by 2030. Thank God they are owning
up to my earlier prediction, warning and caution,” he said.
“Nigeria’s earning and foreign exchange situation is too
fragile as we speak to resist sustained shocks.
“Another nationwide protest will worsen the multidimensional
poverty indices all over our country and work greater hardship on the ordinary
Nigerians we claim to be advocating for.”
The governor added that anger at “social imbalances or poor
governance manifested only through protests, whether peaceful or violent, will
only achieve piecemeal objectives”.
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