SACP Slams APC for Mishandling Peaceful #EndSARS Protests

A human rights organisation, the StandUp Against Corrupt Politicians (SACP) has blamed All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal government for the mishandling the #EndSARS peaceful protest as well as the use of political thugs to disperse protesters in Lagos state and all over the country.

The group’s coordinator in Lagos, Emmanuel Feyijimi, who disclosed this in Lagos, said the national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, should be held responsible for the shootings at Lekki tollgate.

It would be recalled that #EndSARS protest had started peacefully until thugs supposedly backed by the governments started to disrupt the protests in different parts of the country.

The protest finally turned out into massive looting and destruction of property after soldiers shot at peaceful protesters at Lekki toll gate in Lagos, killing and injuring some of them.

Feyijimi said the #EndSARS protests were manifestation of the pent up anger in the youths who have been marginalized and shortchanged by their political leaders in the state and in Nigeria as a whole.

He alleged that this was not the first time the APC would be using thugs on innocent citizens, noting that during political rallies, the party and its leaders are fond of using thugs to harass political opponents.

“During the last local government election in the state, one of our members, a youth leader in Agboyi-Ketu, Kehinde Okeowo, who contested for the post of Vice-Chairman of the LCDA was almost killed by thugs working for the APC.

According to him, due to the rising profile of Okeowo among youths in his local government area and beyond, he was marked for assassination by thugs allegedly sponsored by some powerful politicians in the ruling APC.

“The young man had to run for his life after his home was vandalized and set ablaze. He is yet to get justice. Even his principal who ran for the chairmanship of the LCDA was murdered in cold blood by thugs.

“As I’m talking to you now, the young man cannot stay within the country because of the incessant harassment by security operatives, this same SARS and hired thugs.”

Feyijimi also cited the case of Omoyele Sowore who contested for President under the platform of African Action Congress in 2019, but was stampeded by the old cabal that has held the country in their jugular.

“So you can see that the youths have had enough, and have therefore come out to express their frustration. The SARS and police brutality was just the catalysis. The major issue is bad governance all over the country,” he added.

He said SACP will continue to fight for good governance by exposing corrupt politicians, and also serves as a veritable platform for youths to occupy political leadership positions to bring about the needed negative change in the country.

He called for a full inquiries into the causes of death and destruction that trailed the peaceful #EndSARS protests.