The Crime Correspondent Association of Nigeria (CCAN), has expressed concern over the manner and way the #EndSARS protest that began as peaceful has, in the past few days, become violent and bloody.
CCAN Chairman, Hassan Zaggi, in a statement Wednesday, said the association is deeply concerned because the lives of young, energetic and promising Nigerians are being wasted unnecessarily.
“The ugly incidents of gruesome killings and maiming of Nigerians in the Abuja city centre, Dutse Alhaji, a suburb in the FCT, Lagos and other parts of the country is worrisome.
“We have even seen in some cases innocent police officers were molested and beaten, leaving them with severe injuries.
According to him “we are also worried because properties worth millions of naira of innocent Nigerians who have nothing to do with the protest have been destroyed and burnt down.
“As crime correspondents who are at the forefront of monitoring the protests, this, indeed, is not what we expected.
“We suspect that the peaceful protest has since been hijacked from #EndSARS protesters, hence, the need for the government to intervene.
“While we commend the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, for the steps taken so far in an effort to manage the situation, we call for a more discreet and professional handling of the recent turn of events.
CCAN called on other security agencies to be professional in handling the situation so as to ensure none of our youth is killed while exercising his right to peaceful protest.
“However, we call on the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to trigger their investigative skill to identify those who take advantage of the peaceful protest to kill and destroy the properties of innocent Nigerians.
“Our findings from the protesters across the country indicated that the issues around the #EndSARS protest are multifaceted, hence, are beyond the Nigeria Police Force.
“CCAN therefore, calls on the President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government to respond quickly to issues raised by the protesters in order to persuade them to keep calm.
“We also call on the #EndSARS protesters to take a break, in order to save the country from slipping into an unimaginable crisis.
“Our advice is the premise on the fact that the peaceful protest has been infiltrated by hoodlums and criminals in different parts of the country and we suspect that it may get worse in the coming days if the #EndSARS protesters continue.”
