#EndSARS protesters in the last few hours are gathering near the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), imposing a public holiday for staff of the apex bank.
Even as the rains poured, the protesters chanted songs against police brutality and called on others to join them on Monday, adding that they had food and drinks to distribute.
The new dimension is coming after the Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan; and Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila urged angry youths to sheath their swords, because government is meeting their demands. Both men spoke shortly after meeting President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday at his official residence in Abuja.
Protests against police brutality, extortion, and extrajudicial killings have also spread to London, Coventry, Edinburgh, and Nottingham.
The organisers of the protests made this known in an awareness image shared on social media.
The message on the image showed that the protests will be organised at several locations on Sunday.
In Coventry, #EndSARS “peaceful protest” held at Coventry Transport Museum CV11JD at 2.30pm.
Another protest was organised by All BlackLivesMatter UK March against police brutality at the Nigeria High Commission – Scotland Yard – Parliament Square – between 2pm and 6pm.
Like it was done across several locations in Nigeria, a candlelight procession would also be held for victims of SARS brutality at Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross by 7pm.
Similarly, #EndSARS protest is organised at Scottish Parliament Building EH99 1SP, Edinburgh from 1pm to 3pm.
Some Nigerians in Newark, New Jersey also held a protest on Sunday.
“The police in Nigeria have no boundary. If you have been a victim of police brutality, you will understand. In Abuja, Port-Harcourt, you will understand that the emotional pains have no geography,” one of the protesters said.
Many Nigerians and sympathisers are also expected to converge on Old Market Square in Nottingham to protest against police brutality in Nigeria by 3 pm.
#EndSARS protest was reignited following the shooting of a youth reportedly in front of a hotel in Ughelli, Delta State, in broad daylight by some FSARS operatives who drove away his Lexus Jeep. The police have said the youth didn’t die.
The Nigeria Police Force consequently banned FSARS and other special tactical squads from carrying out routine stop and search.
Nigerians claimed that the police authorities had not shown enough commitment to reform the dreaded police unit over the years and called for its disbandment.
Despite the Force’s call for calm, the protest raged on in several parts of the country, including Lagos, Abuja, Osun, Oyo, Delta, Imo, with Nigerians abroad joining the demonstration.
▪︎ Additional reports by The Punch
