THERE are strong indications that some groups have emerged to challenge #EndSARs protesters, who have continued to stage protests in different parts of the country despite the Federal Government’s efforts at meeting their demands.
This, observers have said, may degenerate into an unmanageable situation if the Federal Government does not urgently arrest the situation.
Already, protesters in Abuja were attacked by thugs on Wednesday morning, The Point learnt.
The thugs, armed with sticks and cutlasses, destroyed cars and chased the peaceful protesters with charms, eyewitnesses said.
The protesters alleged that their attackers were Pro-SARS thugs, claiming that some officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps witnessed the fracas and did nothing to quench it.
“You can see what the Pro-SARS protesters are doing. We have been as peaceful as possible. But look at what they are doing,” one of the unidentified EndSARS protesters said.
“They just came to disrupt our peaceful protest, breaking people’s cars and all. We don’t know where they came from. They just appeared, running towards us. They came with big sticks, daggers, destroying cars. Someone said they even brought charms. We had to run for our dear lives,” another eyewitness, Mary Solaja, said.
The #EndSARS protests began last week in different parts of Nigeria, and in some other countries, over the recklessness of the now scrapped Special Anti-Robbery Squad, which has led to many extra-judicial killings.
The protests have continued despite the disbandment of the unit and the approval of the protesters’ five-point demand by Government.
Members of the squad have also been accused of molesting the youth, in addition to kidnapping, intimidation and extortion.
The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, on Tuesday, replaced the disbanded SARS with a new team, the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team.
The SWAT, he said, would “fill the gaps arising from the dissolution of the defunct SARS.”
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