By Onyewuchi Ojinnaka
A group of concerned Nigerian professionals has lambasted Nigerian government over perceived victimisation of the alleged sponsors of the #EndSARS protests.
In a statement titled, “Wrong Approach by the Federal Government” and signed by Dr. Muiz Banire, Dr. Isuwa Dogo, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, Olutola Mobolurin, and Professor Pat Utomi, the group alleged that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration was seizing the protesters’ passports, arresting and detaining them with no or on spurious charges, and freezing the accounts of the said sponsors.
The group attributed the recent protests by the youths to lack of trust, saying government’s action further undermined the citizens’ trust in the current administration.
The group implored the Muhammadu Buhari administration to “stop the adoption of undemocratic and inhuman methods in dealing with the aftermath of the EndSARS protests”, adding that the protest is a constitutional and democratic right which does not allow the kind of victimisation going on.
Parts of the statement made by the concerned professionals read:
“It is unfortunate that rather than developing trust in the youths that their complaints would be convincingly addressed as promised when the protests were on, the government has embarked on victimisation and witch-hunting of the sponsors of the protests by seizing their passports, arresting and detaining them sometimes with no or on spurious charges and freezing the accounts of the said sponsors.
“We, therefore, urge the government to implement the five-for-five accepted demands of the youths and engage them genuinely. No amount of intimidation or harassment will work as it will only exacerbate tensions in an otherwise fragile polity.
“We also urge the traditional rulers and progressive politicians to avoid them being used to sanctioning these acts by conflating the EndSARS protests with the criminal arson and looting that followed the protests.
“These rounds of regional meetings of traditional rulers and political leaders smack of manipulation to create a pseudo-national consensus on the continuing and planned violation of the rights of citizens. Fundamental human rights are universally cherished rights.
“The country especially in its current economic straights should avoid becoming a pariah state as its youths are forced into exile as in the NADECO days.
“The news of the appearance of one of the activists of EndSARS in Canada is ominous. Our youths must not be made exiles just for speaking up. Neither must they come to harm in the country. We cannot turn our youths into Zombies,” the group expressed.