The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, had on Sunday afternoon announced the disbandment of the police unit, after days of protests against the brutality and extrajudicial killings by SARS operatives. Despite the dissolution or disbandment of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad ( SARS) of the Nigeria Police Force, on Sunday.
The youth #EndSARS protesters and Campaigners on Monday morning stormed the Lekki Toll Gate section of the Lekki-Epe Expressway, Lagos State, to continue the demonstrations. The protesters barricaded the highway, blocked the toll gate this resulted to heavy gridlock as Motorists and other road users who were on their way to work were left stranded.
The #EndSARS hashtag has continued globally with huge momentum on Social Media platforms with over 10million tweets before the pronouncement of the disbandment of SARS but the #EndSARS campaigners said they would not back down, insisting that the street rallies would continue until the President makes a statement concerning the matter, saying President Muhammadu Buhari should issued an Executive Order scrapping the SARS unit of the Police.
Though, the IGP, Mohammed Adamu said a new policing arrangement to replace the now-defunct police unit would be announced “in due course”, adding that all officers of the disbanded SARS have been redeployed with “immediate effect”, the Youth protesters are not trusting the statement. According to them, We are not going to be fooled by the IGP’s pronouncements. That , the President should either address Nigerians by announcing through an executive order, that he is disbanding the unit in the Nigeria Police or they will continue the protest until the President steps in and takes responsibility.
According to one of the protesters, he said, “We want the Police Authorities to carry out psychological evaluation and re-training of all disbanded SARS officers before they are redeployed”. They demand the release of all arrested protesters, justice for all deceased victims of police brutality and appropriate compensation for their families.
Female in the forefront of the protest hijab wearing revolutionary Aisha Yesufu, who stood in the front line with her fist in defiance to the Police,another fearless female is Rinu Oduala all clamouring of the end of SARS ,A youth leader in Ikorodu, Kassim Taiwo, said Government should increased salaries for police officers as well as the establishment of an independent body to oversee the investigation and prosecution of all reports of police misconduct within 10 days, advocated a total overhaul and reform of the Nigeria Police Force.
Music Artist like Wizkid , Davido and other international Celebrities like Kiki Mordi lent their voices to the movement. We are waiting to see the outcome of these demonstration on the highway.