ENDSARS: Lagos, other states grounded as FCT security agents, thugs attack protesters
#EndSARS protesters on Monday defied the threat by the Federal Government to deploy security agents in quelling their protests against police brutality across the country.
Protesters, mostly youths as early as 7am trooped out in major cities in Lagos, Ogun, Edo, Abia, Ondo, Ekiti, Oyo and Ebonyi states blocking roads and calling for police reforms.
But in Abuja, security operatives and thugs attacked #EndSARS peaceful protesters at various locations.
In some locations in Abuja, security agents watched as thugs attacked protesters.
Recall that since October 8, youths, who are calling for disbanding of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigeria Police, have been embarking on peaceful protests.
On Sunday, the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, disbanded SARS and a few days later announced the setting up of the Special Weapon and Tactics Team.
But the protesters insisted that the government had not met their demands, including prosecution of SARS operatives involved in extrajudicial killings.
The Federal Government on Sunday warned the protesters that it would not tolerate a descent into anarchy.
The protest leaders, in an interview with The PUNCH, said the protests were peaceful and accused government of using police and thugs to disrupt the demonstrations.
Protesters block Lagos-Badagry, Lagos-Ibadan roads
On Monday, vehicular and human movements were at a standstill in many parts of Lagos including Ijanikin, Iyana Isashi and Agbara axis of the Lagos – Badagry Expressway as angry youths protested against police brutality.
The News Agency of Nigeria reported that the protesters blocked the expressway with two articulated vehicles at Agbara, preventing vehicles from coming or going out of the area.
Ovi Kuponu, one of the coordinators of the protest, Ovi Kuponu, told journalists the youth in Badagry and Agbara came out to protest deplorable state of the expressway and bad governance.
Vehicular movements were totally paralysed in Ikeja, Lagos State capital.
Thousands of youths occupied the stretch of Awolowo Road from Allen Junction to the Lagos State Secretariat in Alausa.
Travellers stranded as protesters block Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Abeokuta roads, others
Almost all the major roads in Ogun State were blocked on Monday by the protesters.
But besides SARS, the protesters said they were protesting against bad governance.
Some of the areas affected included Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Arepo and Mowe areas, Sagamu Interchange, Presidential Boulevard, Oke-Mosan, Panseke, Camp-Osiele, Owode-Yewa, Ilaro, Ado-Odo, Sango and Papalanto.
The protesters, under the aegis of concerned Mowe youths, assembled at Mowe Junction as early as 8am and blocked Sagamu Interchange.
Also, thousands of youths in Owode-Yewa in the Yewa South Local Government Area of the state blocked some roads in protest against bad governance.
Protesters shut down Edo
Also, Benin, the Edo State capital, was shut down by protesters under the aegis of the #EndSARS agitation.
All the major roads in the city were blocked as early as 7am with bonfire dotting strategic points in the city.
On Ekenwan Road for instance, from Agho Junction to the popular Ekenwan Military Barracks, youths converged on Evbotubu Junction, Utagban Junction; First and Second Power Line Junctions; Debvekewen Junction and Leaders College Junction.
The entire city centre was on a complete lockdown as protest points were set up in the various roads such as Airport Road, Akenzua-Plymouth Road, Ring Road and Siluoko Road.
In all the points, the messages by the protesters remained the same: ‘No to SARS’ and ‘Buhari must go.’Punch
