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Nigerian-born lawyer and Minister of Justice in Alberta, a Canadian province, Kelechi Madu, has endorsed protests against police brutality in Nigeria, his country of birth. The protests broke out last week to demand an end to high-handedness and brutality of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigeria Police. Madu, in a series of tweets on Saturday, said his cousin, Chrisantus Korie, was killed by the police in Nigeria in 2013. He also showed his support for the #EndSARS protests and encouraged all Nigerians to lend their voices to the fight for freedom from police brutality and injustice. Madu wrote, “I support the people of Nigeria as they protest to end police brutality and extrajudicial killings. My own cousin Chrisantus Nwabueze Korie was murdered by Nigeria Police in April 2013. “Despite my best efforts, the police would not investigate his murder and did everything to obstruct. I also helped to petition a committee of Nigeria’s National Assembly to probe the killin...

Femi Falana (SAN) A leading coalition of labour and civil society groups, the Alliance for the Survival of COVID-19 and Beyond, has asked the Nigerian Government to withdraw plans to use soldiers to quell the #EndSARS protests rocking major cities across the country. ASCAB in a statement by its Chairman, Femi Falana, said the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai, or any of his men risk facing the International Criminal Court in the Hague if any of the protesters was killed. Femi Falana (SAN) The group said protests have common features across the world as seen in Hong Kong, United States, France, South Africa, Belarus and even in Sudan, adding that in no instance had soldiers being deployed to suppress the protesters. The statement reads, “Nigeria wants to set another ugly precedence in world history. The Federal Government should be reminded that Operation Crocodile Smile has been declared illegal by Nigeria court with competent jurisdiction following legal actions fil...

David Oyedepo, presiding Bishop of the Living Faith Church, has hailed #EndSARS protesters calling for extensive police reforms and an end to rights violations in the country. Oyedepo while speaking during the second service of the church on Sunday said President Muhammadu Buhari was leading a regime with no regard for human lives. He added that the administration was killing the country’s future leaders. He said, “I warned this land concerning the evils that lay ahead, I was grievously attacked but see what is happening today, see where we are today. “Many cannot pass through because of the protest which is legitimate, the protest is legitimate. “If law enforcement agents can start shooting indiscriminately, senselessly at young individuals — imagine if we were killed as youths, will we be here today? “If they (government) were killed when they were youths, will they be where they are today? And because no one can tell who is next, the youth have the legitimate right to e...

Lai Mohammed The Nigerian Government has vowed to crackdown on peaceful #EndSARS protesters calling for an end to police brutality. Nigerians in many cities across and beyond the country are protesting years of rights violations by the Nigerian Government and failed promises of reform of various institutions. Reacting to the protests, Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo on Saturday apologised to young people in the country. Lai Mohammed Contradicting the Vice President less than 24 hours later on Saturday evening, Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, said the Nigerian Government will take firm steps against the protesters. He said, “Peaceful protest is an integral part of democracy and that is why the Federal Government in the last 11 days has treated the protesters in a very civilised manner. “But, if you look at what happened to the governor of Osun State, it has gone completely beyond peaceful protest against excesses and abuse of power by the police. ...

Catholic Bishop's Conference of Nigeria Catholic Bishops in Nigeria have endorsed the #EndSARS protests rocking the nation. The Bishops said the protest was an accurate representation of the problem in the country and was morally justified.  Catholic Bishop's Conference of Nigeria cbcn.org They, however, advised the concerned youths to avoid any form of violence during the protests. This is coming barely three days after the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, also endorsed the protests against police brutality which have been ongoing across the country for over a week. In a statement on Saturday, Most Rev. Augustine Obiora Akubeze, President of Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), said many lives had been wasted through unnecessary brutality and wrong application of force.   The clerics demanded justice for all victims of SARS brutality and police brutality and a review of the welfare of the policemen who ha...