By Sarauniya Usman, Abuja
As the protests by some youths to end police brutality continue, the National Orientation Agency (NOA) has strongly appealed to the #ENDSARS campaigners to stop the protests and allow government time to implement decisions taken as a result of the demands of the youths.
In a statement signed by Agency’s Assistant Director, Press,Paul Odenyi, the appeal to the youths said the #EndSARS campaigners have made their points very clearly and should in the interest of peace stop the protests and allow both government and its institutions put in place measures that will bring about order and accountability in the criminal justice processes.
In his words: “it is not in doubt that the youths have spoken very clear on some aspects of policing that have left much to be desired.
They have also made very important and critical demands. The government have accepted these demands in the believe that the observations by the youths are genuine and critical and have substantially begun to implement them. For instance, the campaigners first and basic demand is the scrapping of State Anti Robbery Squad (SARS), government has acceeded to this request.
“The government has gone ahead to ask state governments to put in place panels to investigate and determine police abuses with a view to bringng culprits to justice. So far more than ten states have established these panels”.
The DG also asked the campaigners to end the protest so that miscreants do not continue to unleash violence on innocent people as has been witnessed in Abuja, Lagos, Benin and other parts of the country.
“Already in parts of the country, miscreants are seizing the opportinity of this unending protest to unleash violence on Nigerians whom we seek to help with our demands. We make this appeal with the believe that the campaigners will not want the same Nigerians to suffer in the hands of miscreants in the society, especially since it has made its point.” The DG said.
The Agency asked the youths to listen to the appeal of the government, senior citizens and other well meaning Nigerians espcially as the President has spoken and given assurances of speedy implementation of the reforms requested in the police and indeed in other areas where government has been puttung reforms measures.
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