Protesters in their numbers stormed the National Assembly complex in Abuja, the nation’s capital on Thursday, October 15, 2020, displaying placards lamenting extra-judicial killings and demanding justice for victims of police brutality.
As they took their demonstration to the complex, they sang songs of solidarity, recited the national anthem, and chanted ‘EndSWAT!’ ‘EndSARS!’.
However, security agents formed a barricade at the entrance to the National Assembly complex as the protesters insisted that they should be addressed the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan.
Later on, the Spokesperson of the Senate, Ajibola Bashiru accompanied by the Senate Committee Chairman on Police, Haliru Jika addressed the protesters.
Meanwhile, the Senate President said the Federal Government has met the demands of the protesters and that there’s no need for any further protests.
In the House of Representatives, the Speaker inaugurated the Special Committee on the review of the constitution. The Committee is led by the Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Wase.
Thousands of protesters across the country have been protesting in the last one week against the harassment, extortion, and extrajudicial killings perpetrated by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigeria Police Force.
The Inspector General of Police in response to the outcry of the protesters disbanded the SARS unit and announced the setting up of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit as its replacement but the protests and demonstrations continue nationwide with hashtags #EndSWAT, #EndSARS, #EndPoliceBrutality dominating social media trends.
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