EndSARS: Northern governors in emergency meeting

 

 An emergency meeting of the Governors of the 19 Northern States over the violence and tension arising from the nationwide #EndSARS protests, is currently in progress in Kaduna State.

The #EndSARS protesters had over the past weeks been agitating the scrapping and the extrajudicial killings by the Special Anti Robbery Squad of the Nigeria Police Force. It took place mostly in the Southern parts of the country.

However, youths from the Northern region took to the streets to protest the insecurity in the north under the banner of #EndInsecuriyNow. The protest was to draw the attention of authority to the activities of the Boko Haram insurgents as well as banditry.

The protests especially in the South had taken a dangerous dimension following the attacks on the #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki toll gate in Lagos. Also, the protest snowballed into violence in Jos, Plateau State.

Against these backdrops, the regional chief executive officers are meeting to possibly forestall or nip in the bud any possible action that might lead to violence in the North.

In attendance, were Governors Simon Lalong of Plateau, Aminu Waziri Tambuwwal of Sokoto, Bello Mohammed Matawalle of Zamfara, AbdulRahman AbdulRazak of Kwara, Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa, Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe, Sani Bello of Niger, Babagana Zulum of Borno and Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State.

Kogi, Kano, Katsina, Bauchi and Kaduna States were represented at the meeting by their Deputy Governors.

The meeting kicked off at 1.50 pm at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim Government House, Kaduna, with the rendition of the national anthem.

Ademola Olonilua and Samson Folarin

Nigerian celebrities on Thursday night expressed disappointment over the address by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).

Popular artiste, Adekunle Gold, in a series of tweets, wondered why the President did not mention the Lekki shootings and killings in Zamfara.

He, however, urged the youths to be united in their pursuit to end police brutality and make the government bring about the much-needed reform in the Nigeria Police Force.

“Wait what?!! My heart cannot take this! My God! I’m dazed!

“We all have one common challenge and it’s our bad leaders not our fellow brothers and sisters,” Gold wrote.

Also, singer and songwriter, Ayodeji Balogun, aka Wizkid, sighed, saying, “God help Nigeria.”

While David Adeleke, aka Davido, simply remarked, ‘Wahala’, Damini Ogulu, aka Burnaboy, quipped, ‘Huh?’

OAP Toolz, also said, “Did he actually not mention the #LekkitollgateMassacre? There weren’t subtitles so I’m not sure #EndSARS.”

Presenter, Toke Makinwa had more to say, “He spent time praising his administration and sharing his plans to alleviate Poverty, yet today alone a warehouse with palliatives was discovered, Is this even a country?

“I’m done, guys pls look out for yourselves, as you can see no one cares about you, imagine the souls we lost, their families tuning in to watch the president address the Nation and he mentions nothing about the order to shoot unarmed Nigerians #EndSARS”

According to Mr Eazi, “Last Last God is King! Him no go Leave us alone Cos at this Point!!”

Don Jazzy also reacted, he said, “I’m actually speechless.”

Tragedy struck on Tuesday night at the Lekki toll gate after the reported shooting of some of the protesters before the commencement of the 24-hour curfew imposed on the state by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, several prominent Nigerians have been urging Buhari to address the nation.

The President’s address which eventually came on Thursday night generated attacks from Nigerians as he kept mum over the Lekki episode.