9th November, 2020
By Taiwo Okanlawon
A socio-political group, The Coalition for A Better Nigeria has condemned the stealing of 100 AK-47 rifles and 2,600 pieces of ammunition from police 37 formations during #EndSARS unrest in Lagos State.
The association in a statement signed by its national coordinator, Comrade Awa Bamiji, also warned against a second phase of protest.
The group wrote, “we are calling on our Traditional Rulers, Community Leaders, Civil Society members, Youths and all patriotic individuals to do their investigation and report any discovery of firearms in their area to the nearest Police Station because failure to do so means, the same weapons will be used by these Criminals against the Community.
“#EndSARS Protests claimed 73 lives Nationwide while over 150 BRT luxurious Buses, TVC Building, the Building housing the Vintage Press Limited, Publisher of the Nation Newspaper, 5 Police Stations in Oyo State, the Palaces of Oba of Lagos and that of Soun of Ogbomoso were burnt and vandalised and 1,596 Suspects were arrested. Apart from others, too numerous to mention here.
“It is rather unthinkable that despite this gravity of havoc wrecked on these innocent lives and properties of the individuals, Corporate Organisations and Governments across Nigeria by thousands of Hoodlums during the #EndSARS Protest, some People could still be nursing the idea of coming back to the Nigerian Roads to start the 2nd phase of #EndSARS Protest.
According to the group, “no reasonable Human Rights’ Activist will like to protest under this kind of fragile condition except enemies of the State and men of the under World, who are rooting for their selfish interests again and all hands must be on deck to nip it in the bud.
“President Muhammadu Buhari’s meeting with the former Heads of States and Governments and that of the Nigerian Traditional Council have made it clear to everyone trying to embark on this 2nd phase of, but unpopular protest, that he or she is on his or her own.
“Nigerians are now wiser and fully prepared with the turn of these events because these ugly incidents had never happened before to us.
The association also called for a thorough investigation into the Lekki shooting and that of the historic damages done by the Hoodlums during the #EndSARS protests.
“Coalition for A Better Nigeria, founded in 2009 and representing the voice of the Coalition of Hundreds of credible Organisations within and Outside Nigeria is calling for a thorough investigation into lekki shootings and that of the historic damages done by the Hoodlums during the #EndSARS protests so as to bring all these Culprits that brought the Country to this painful stage to book, to serve as a deterrent to others, we are equally saying NO to another #EndSARS Protest meant to vandalise Nigerian economy the more.
“We have had enough of damages, maiming, looting, carnage and arson and only God knows when the Nation will be fully recovered,” the statement said.
The group, however, stated that restructuring is key to the positive turn-around of the system of administration which has always been leading to various forms of agitation in Nigeria.
“To this regard and based on the APC 2015 electoral promise, we advise the Federal Government to start implementing the recommendations of the Mallam Nasir El – Rufai Committee without further delay,” it added.