#EndSARS: Don’t Embark on another Protest, Osinbajo-Led NEC tells Youths
The National Economic Council, NEC, has appealed to those planning to stage a protest to mark the first anniversary of the #EndSARS protests to consider other lawful alternative means of engagement.
NEC argued that with the current security situation across the country, there was the possibility of such protests being hijacked by armed hoodlums and other opportunistic criminals to cause mayhem at such protest events and venues.
Governor of Nasarawa State, Abdullahi Sule, who briefed State House correspondents after the meeting, said that the government has taken various actions to address the allegations of human rights violations made against the Nigerian police and other security agencies.
The NEC is presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, and has the 36 state governors and Ministers in charge of the economy as well as the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, as members.
The statement read: “While appreciating the role of lawful peaceful protests in the advancement of public discourse under democratic governance, the National Economic Council (NEC) strongly advise those planning public protests across the country to mark the anniversary of the #EndSARS, to consider other lawful alternative means of engagement.
“This is because of the current security situation across the country and the possibility of such protests being hijacked by armed hoodlums and other opportunistic criminals to cause mayhem at such protest events and venues. Council, therefore, urges the organizers to reconsider their plan.
“NEC would also like to point out the various actions already taken by Federal and State Governments to address the grievances that led to the 2020 protests”
