Some youths in Akwa Ibom State have joined their colleagues in embarking on peaceful protest along some major roads and streets in the state.
The youths who marched through some major roads later assembled at Oron Road-Four Lanes Junction.
Carrying placards and banner with inscriptions like END POLICE BRUTALITY, BAD GOVERNANCE AND ABUSE OF POWER, END INJUSTICE AND IMPUNITY, the protesters dangled them on passers-by.
Traffic along the busy road bisecting Four Lanes and emptying into Nsikak Eduok Avenue was halted, though some motorists meandered through the hold-up to their destinations.
Using a bus fitted with loudspeakers blaring music, the protesters listened to speeches by some speakers at the junction.
Addressing the teeming youths, Bassey Mfon Awa, the South South Coordinator of Legacy Group, said, “We are not protesting. We are having a march in support of President Muhammadu Buhari’s reforms not only in the Nigeria Police but in all institutions in the Public Service.
Awa noted “We are not part of the ENDSARS protest, The youths protested. As a part of the ENDSARS protest, but when President Buhari accepted our requests, we back down knowing that hoodlums have taken over the protest. They are burning public places and killing people. “That is not the spirit of ENDSARS.
“Since the President and Inspector-General of Police have accepted reforms, there is no need to protest. We have to galvanise support for Mr. President to implement the reforms to the letter. We are in solidarity with Mr. President.
“We started the movement today. And we intend to stay on the streets until our yearnings are hearkened to see reasons why there must be order in Nigeria. Nigeria belongs to us,” he added.
Mr. Obot Edet, one of the conveners, said “Nigeria belongs to all of us. We need peace. The President has done what no other person has done in this country. I am part of the ENDSARS. Since the President has said he has approved the five-point reforms, we have to cooperate with him to implement such.
“We have to maintain peace and see what the President will do. We should not try to create anarchy- burning office, breaking cell, looting shops and Yahoo boys taking over everywhere.”
Barr Clifford Thomas, ED, Foundation for Civic Education, Human Rights and Development Advancement (FoCEHRaDA) said “The SARS people should be given reorientation by the army, and deployed to fight Boko Haram, armed bandits, and killer Fulani herds men. The SWAT team should take three months to constitute new recruits across the country on a pro rata basis, should be employed trained by the U. S. SWAT team, FBI and the Israeli army, to gain tactical knowledge on modern deployment of arms and weaponry.
“And Government must earn the confidence of Nigerians. Involvement of the international community in the Democratic struggles of Nigerians against internal repression is a dangerous trend that will not promote equity and justice in the polity.”
On Monday, October 19, the #ENDSARS protests were being intensified in various states across Nigeria, particularly Abuja, Jos, Lagos and Port Harcourt, among others.
In Lagos, the protesters occupied Alausa Street, the seat of Lagos State Government, forcing Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to use Okada to his office.
They also occupied Allen and Third Mainland Bridge, Oshodi, Lekki, Berger, CMS Bus-stop, causing huge traffic hold-up.
Later, the government announced closure of all public and private schools in the state until the protest is abated.
However, the inauguration of a seven-man Judicial Panel of Enquiry to look into the disbanded SARS brutality and human rights violations did not assuage the protesters to ease off lockdown of some areas held hostage.
In Abuja, the protest turned violent as some were killed and others injured by suspected hoodlums.
Straightnews learned that soldiers took over some streets and sacked the protesters from occupying the frontage of Central Bank of Nigeria.
Later, some dangerous-wielding hoodlums were said to have surreptitiously rammed into a group of protesters, and the altercation between both parties resulted in the death of two persons.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian youths have listed demands to the federal government to do before they can call off their protest.
1. End SARS
2. Sack security chiefs
3. Improve security
4. Full deregulation of the oil and gas sector to allow more investments for job creation
5. Immediate passage of PIB
6. Full deregulation of the power sector to allow investment capital flow to generate, transmit and distribute more power and create jobs
7. Should hands-off petroleum pricing to enable free-market determination of pricing
8. Close our northern borders to stop the free entry of Fulani herdsmen and bandits
9. Inclusive government for all tribes and regions of Nigeria with 50 percent youths in charge of governance
10. Allocate more funds to the education sector to provide better teaching tools and to pay better salaries to end ASUU strikes
11. Change our academic curriculum to reflect modern-day realities
12. All politicians should be placed on minimum wage to attract genuine public servants.
13. Migrate to 100 per cent electoral reforms with electronic voting tied to our BVN and GSM
14. Return Nigeria to regional governance structure or restructure the country and embrace true federalism. States autonomy must be paramount.
15. Disband the bi-cameral legislature and adopt uni-cameral
16. Immediately reform Nigeria Police Force and let every state or region create its own police service
17. No more budget for running private affairs of elected and appointed public servants
18. Enthrone university education as a minimum qualification for public office holders at all levels of government from the president to local government and ward chairpersons
19. Strip ex-governors and all elected and appointed public servants of all benefits after office.
20. Increase salaries of our doctors, nurses, teachers, police, military officers, and civil servants
21. Government should hands-off ownership and management of businesses at all levels.
22. Name and shame looters and make criminal offenders, and looters face trial in their home states and villages to shame them and their families
23. Stop foreign medical trips for public servants. Let them be treated here in Nigeria. When last did you hear an American President or a British Prime Minister visit Nigeria for medical tourism?
