#EndSARS: SACP berates Tinubu, APC over Lekki shootings

The StandUp Against Corrupt Politician (SACP) has berated the National leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu over the alleged shooting of #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki tollgate as well as the use of political thugs to disperse protesters in Lagos state and all over the country.

In a statement issued by the group’s coordinator in Lagos state, Comrade Emmanuel Olu, the ruling party in the state and Tinubu should be held responsible for the mayhem and youths’ restiveness because of their style of leadership.

The 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.

Olu said the #EndSARS protests were a 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.”

Olu 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.

Olu said there should be a full National Assembly inquiry into the causes of death and destruction that trailed the peaceful #EndSARS protests, noting that the government must be fully investigated for the role played by security agents in transporting, and supervising vandals and thugs to attack the protesters.