AIG Warns Police Against Another EndSARS

Adeleke Adeyinka, an Assistant Inspector General of Police has warned that the nation may not survive another nationwide protest. The top police officer, particularly, warned the officers and men of the Force that “another EndSARS may lead to the end of the police.”

The warning comes on the back of two days solidarity protest by the Nigerian Labour Congress, NCL and its affiliates over federal government’s failure to resolve the prolonged strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU. The Universities teachers have abandoned the nation’s ivory towers since February this year over unpaid entitlements and benefits.

On October 20, 2020 tens of thousands of young Nigerians took to the streets to protest against police brutality after a video went viral of a man allegedly being killed by the notorious Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, sparking what became known as the #EndSars demonstrations.

Many police officers were killed, and several police stations burnt during the few days that the protest lasted.

The deployment of the military to the Lekki Tollgate, Lagos the epicenter of the protest later led to the allege killings of some protesters. The federal government has however denied the allegation that protesters were killed. The federal government later banned the notorious SARS in line with public demand.

Speaking to men of the Ogun state Police Command on Thursday, Adeyinka who is in charge of Zone 2 (Lagos and Ogun States), said the country is not likely to survive another round of such protest, warning policemen to be civil when dealing with protesters.

He said: “The criminals that perpetrated that act that time are going to come out more experienced. The mistakes they made then, they are not going to make them now and that is why your conduct towards the members of the public must be effective.”

“If you (police officer) are a cultist I don’t think you should show it to people because it is wrong and do you know why it is wrong even if you are not wicked, if you belong to a cult group there is no way you are not going to favour a member of your cult, unless you are not a good cult member.

“A situation where a police officer is a member of a cult group and people in the society know that he is a cultist, his activities are related to cultism, I think it is sad.

“There are some of our policemen too now that are into cybercrime, popularly known as yahoo yahoo, especially policemen who find themselves in places where we have institutions of higher learning, it is very common. You (commissioner) need to fish them out and you need to preach to them,” Adeleke said.