Daniel Bwala, special adviser to President Bola Tinubu on policy communication, says the 2020 #EndSARS demonstration marked the beginning of “irresponsible protesting” in Nigeria.
Speaking during an interview with News Central on Wednesday,
Bwala said previous protests in Nigeria were organised, unlike the #EndSARS
movement.
He added that the government could not simply sit back while
such protests unfolded.
“You want to shut down law and order in the country? There
is no police anywhere in the world that will close their eyes to that fact,”
Bwala said.
”EndSARS was the beginning and the foundation of
irresponsible protesting. Before EndSARS, all the protests that we had in the
country were organised.
“That’s why it is called organised protest. Any protest that
is not organised the government can’t sit back… see what other Nigerians did
the other time in Lagos (referring to the occupy Nigeria protest).”
When asked if the government’s actions against #EndSARS
protesters were because the protests were disorganised, Bwala denied claims
that security forces shot protesters.
“The government didn’t shoot down the protesters. There were
misadventures by law enforcement and I must admit,” he said.
“And that’s why a panel was formed to investigate, and it
released its findings.”
In October 2020, young Nigerians took to the streets in a
nationwide protest against police brutality under the #EndSARS banner.
The movement was a response to years of alleged abuse,
extortion, and killings by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a notorious
police unit.
In October 20, 2020, military personnel invaded the Lekki
tollgate, the rallying point of the protest.
Witnesses said soldiers opened fire on unarmed protesters
waving the Nigerian flag, resulting in casualties.
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