Non – violent protest is within the rights of Nigerian youths – Victor Akinjo.
– Awotula Temidayo.
Member House of Representatives from Ilaje / Ese Odo Federal constituency, Hon. Kolade Akinjo has thrown his weight behind the protesting youths against Police brutality and the misdemeanor of the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS). He said as long as these youths are engaging in a non violent protests, it is within their rights to express their views and opinion about any policy of government that runs counter to equity and fairness.
Hon. Akinjo who had the audience of thepolity.net affirmed that there are some inalienable rights that are very fundamental human rights, stressing that when the people are pressing for these rights , no security agent or agency of government should inhibit them as this will amount to trampling on people’s rights.
Akinjo said SARS has misplaced its priority as a special police unit and rather than keep to its beat, it had specially majored in harassing people, molesting them , framing them and manhandling apparently innocent Nigerians in a way that has resulted in untimely death of many an innocent youths of this country. He noted that these youths that are protesting are pained that in their own father land they can be treated like ordinary serfs by a unit of the Police who are taken care of by taxes which their parents contribute. While saluting the courage of the EndSARS protesters , he advised them to protest within the limits of the law, noting that they should be vigilant so that their cause will not be hijacked by fifth columnists and touts who do not have any guiding principle or philosophy.
The Itebu-kunmi born PDP stalwart warned against shooting to kill or maim the protesters lest their innocent Protest against Police brutality gets out of hand and snowball into an unprecedented mass youth movement. He challenged Federal Government to handle the youths right and accede to their demands, noting that in the history of Nigeria, this is a historic development coming from the youths across virtually all the states of the federation even including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
While condemning the proclivity of SARS towards brutality against innocent citizens who to all intent and purpose are neither armed robbers or kidnappers, Hon. Akinjo stated that what the Nigerian Police need is a total reorientation so that it will be ingrained in their mind the need to related with civility when dealing with unarmed members of the public.
He said that the Police itself has serious challenge that the Police reform act needs to address. He reiterated the fact that there are lot of issues within the Police that demands the urgent attention of stakeholders. ” Imagine the attempt to take away the powers of the Police Service Commission . The Police act tend to have taken away the powers of the PSC and handed it over to the Inspector General of Police. The act establishing the Police Service Commission imbued it with constitutional rights that no one can take away. Having said that,it means there is need to retool the Police reform act.
” The Police are not properly paid. There are no incentives and when you don’t provide appropriate incentives, the work of policing will suffer setback. It is unfortunate that members of the Police have to go and get their own uniform by themselves when ordinarily, the Constitution states how uniforms are to be provided for officers and men of the Police. So, all these are the challenges,” Hon. Akinjo added.
He maintained that the protest by the youths has brought a huge and positive results as government has actually ended SARS in all the Police formation across the country.
