President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Wednesday joined all meaning persons in calling for calm in Nigeria and urged the government, Police and protesters to use dialogue in resolving the #EndSARS impasse.
In a Tweet, President Akufo-Addo, who is also ECOWAS Chair, said he has “spoken with President Buhari, who is committed to this end and has begun the processes that will lead to reform.”
“Violence, be it on the part of the Police or protesters, cannot be the solution. To the families who have lost their loved ones, I express my sincere condolences and I wish the injured a speedy recovery,” he stated.
Nigeria for some days now has been rocked by nationwide protests over police brutality, amidst allegations of widespread kidnapping, harassment and extortion by a police unit known as the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
Protestors on Tuesday in Lagos, Nigeria’s largest and commercial city, witnessed continued rallies despite the imposition of a state-wide curfew. Many demonstrators are said to have been shot by soldiers.
Two weeks ago, the Nigerian inspector general of police announced that the “controversial SARS unit was being disbanded and its officers redeployed.”
“But protests have continued in cities across the country, with some young Nigerians insisting they will continue to take to the streets until the entire police force is reformed.”
In Ghana, many had taken to social media calling on President Akufo-Addo to condemn and intervene in the #EndSARS impasse in Nigeria.
Rex Mainoo Yeboah, ISD
