The #EndSARS protesters have urged the Federal Government to revoke the bail earlier granted the RevolutionNow convener and publisher of SaharaReporters, Omoyele Sowore, following his earlier arrest and detention by the Department of State Service (DSS) for alleged treason, for allegedly breaching the conditions of the bail.
This is just as the protesters under the aegis of Genuine #EndSARS Protesters, commended the Nigeria Police for rising to the occasion on Friday by dispersing a handful of misguided youths assembled at the gate of the National Assembly by the “so-called activist” to foment trouble under the pretext of #EndSARS protest.
The Genuine #EndSARS Protesters, in a statement, Friday, in Abuja, insisted that Sowore, having breached the conditions of the bail granted him following his RevolutionNow campaign, “must not only be immediately arrested but also have his bail revoked”.
The statement was signed by Dr. Orji Nwakocha for southeast; Dr. Aremu Babatunde for southwest; Comrade Frank Jaja representing South-South and Alhaji Ibrahim Dan Iya for North West. Others are Sheik Mohammed Adamu for North East; Mr. Dakwohi Samson for FCT; and Comrade Peter Yohana for North Central.
The group insisted that the renewed protest being spearheaded by Mr. Sowore was not known to them, restating that they had since backed down from their protests but were already meeting with governments at all levels at the roundtable.
The group appealed to parents “to advise their wards against allowing themselves to be misled by Mr. Sowore”, who is accused of attempting to hijack the #EndSARS platform to deliberately blackmail President Muhammadu Buhari and his government.
According to the Genuine #EndSARS Protesters, “Sowore’s clandestine motive is to feather his own nest.”
They noted with concern the insistence of Mr. Sowore to go on the protest when all those that started the #EndSARS protests had not only backed down but are also meeting with governments towards resolving issues that informed the action, tasking security agencies to see Sowore as a threat to national security and immediately treat him like one.
The statement read in part, “the Genuine #EndSARS Protesters, being the body of the real people that protested recently against the police Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS’ excessive powers and brutality, have been watching with concern the attempt by one Mr. Omoyele Sowore to hijack our platform to further his inordinate ambition.
“We feel concerned that after we backed down from the protests and are now engaging governments at all levels with a view to resolving the issues that informed the protest, the said Mr. Sowore is busy assembling some misguided elements using our platform.
“We are, however, not surprised at Mr. Sowore’s insistence on protest given his antecedent. We recall that he had called on revolution against the present federal administration, leading to his arrest and detention. And given his ignoble role in this act, we are not surprised at what he is driving at. It is in this regard that we wish to strongly appeal to the security agencies to see Mr. Sowore as a security threat and treat him like one.
“By this, we are not only calling on his arrest but also appealing to the federal authorities to immediately arrest and withdraw his bail conditions for flouting the conditions attached to it,” the group said in the statement.
The group added: “It may be further recalled that, owing to the entrenchment of democratic tenets under the current administration, which adheres strictly to the principle of rule of law, institutional independence and non-interference, the court graciously granted Sowore bail, with conditions attached therein. One such condition was a restriction on addressing public gatherings until the criminal trial was concluded.
“In his characteristic disobedience to law and properly constituted authorities, Sowore has continued to observe that aspect of his bail conditions in the breach. We have taken the pain of articulating these points, to show to the world who this man truly is, as a prelude to the obvious attempt to hijack a worthy cause initiated by patriotic youths with genuine agitations.
“Having said this, we wish to unequivocally call on the security agencies to immediately arrest and detain Mr. Omoyele Sowore for investigation.
Drawing attention to the event at the National Assembly gate where the youths assembled by Mr. Sowore to protest against the government under the guise of #EndSARS were dispersed, the group commended Nigeria police for the action.
“His desperate attempts to relaunch the #EndSARS protests, which have since been rested by the original promoters, to allow action from governments at the various levels is unacceptable.”
The group, however, tasked the police to go a step further in not only dispersing the youths but by arresting them including their leader, Omoyele Sowore for onward prosecution over breach of public peace and attempt to incite the civil populace against President Muhammadu Buhari and his government.
“The attempt by Mr. Omoyele Sowore to hijack our platform to incite the civil populace against President Buhari and his government just to feather his inordinate ambition is unacceptable.
“We are thereby calling on not just the police but also other security agencies to see M. Sowore as an agent of destabilisation and pick him up appropriately for investigation.”
While drawing attention to the events of Friday, November 5, and Sunday, November 1, 2020, in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), where a few persons were seen protesting under the auspices of the #EndSARS protest, the Genuine #EndSARS protesters said the developments were indications of a selfish agenda being hatch by Sowore for a predetermined end.
Recall that the said protesters – with Sowore assuming a prominent place, had besieged the precincts of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, as well as the Force Headquarters – where they left the “#EndSARS” inscription boldly on the roads.
This development has, however, triggered an angry reaction from the original promoters of #EndSARS protests, who have called on the youths in the country, to disregard the revivalist agenda.
According to the group, the need for citizens to give governments at all levels the chance to address the concerns that necessitated the EndSARS demonstrations had become compelling, more so that commitments had already been made.
It submitted further that the antecedents of Sowore, who had led a failed “revolution” attempt, could not inspire meaningful followership, hence the need to disown him.
“We make bold to say that, considering the aftermath of the nationwide protests – as seen in the hijack by hoodlums and attendant deaths, destruction of public and private property, no responsible citizen would want to re-ignite the event.
“Clearly, this move, to all intent and purposes is manifestly tendentious, overtly self-serving, and anything but altruistic.
“It is designed to further his selfish agenda of blackmailing the federal government, and we completely dissociate ourselves from this move by a man seen in many instances as a meddlesome interloper, who seeks to hijack noble causes, for premeditated ends.
“We hereby call on millions of our articulate, ever-conscious and responsible youths across the 36 states of the federation, and the FCT, to resist this latest antics by Sowore, as it will not only threaten the relative peace being enjoyed today but disturb the socio-economic fabric of a nation negotiating recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.”
