The #EndSARS protest in Osogbo turned violent on Friday as mobile policemen shot sporadically into the air during the protest.
It was gathered that the shots were fired in the air to disperse protesters who stormed major streets during the protest against the brutality of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
As early as 10am, the protesters stormed the roads singing solidarity songs and chants against the illegal activities of the SARS operatives.
The protesters thereafter headed to the State Police Command Headquarters to express their grievances to the Commissioner of Police in the State, Mr Undie Adie, and inscribed #ENDSARS on the Command’s perimeter wall.
However, they clashed with the policemen stationed ta the Olaiya junction while they were returning as the security personnel tried to forcefully disperse them.
In the youths’ attempt to resist the gun-wielding policemen, striked sachets of water at the security personnel and simultaneously mobilized more members to the scene.
There was panic as security operatives fired shots into the air to disperse the protesters, which also forced traders and shop owners in the area to flee for safety.
After earlier running for safety, the protesters regrouped to secure the release of some of their colleagues arrested by the mobile policemen.
It was gathered that the protesters commenced their procession after they had been to the State Secretariat at Abere where the Chief Whip, Babatunde Olatunji, addressed them.
The procession resulted into a gridlock along Ogo-Ogoluwa area of the state, as some of them blocked the road with their motorcycles and vehicles as many of the protesters were on commercial motorcycles and vehicles throughout the protest.
One of the conveners of the protest, a student of Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, Ayedokun Abolore, condemned the brutal acts of the SARS operatives against the people while addressing journalists.
“We are here on the street to register our grievances to the government. There must be an end to the brutality of SARS in the country. Many youths have been killed by these officers with the gun that was bought by taxpayer’s money. It is unreasonable for those officers to kill Nigerians and at the end, nothing will happen.
“Some of my colleagues were killed last year and till today, nobody was prosecuted. No justice in this country.
“Our own voice is our weapon. We can’t carry arms against the government we are only pleading for them to end brutality and extortion by officials of SARS as soon as possible,” he said.
The Assembly’s Chief Whip, Babatunde Olatunji, while addressing the protesters, said the SARS unit can better be engaged by the institution rather than allowing its operatives to engage in extrajudicial killings.
“Just some weeks ago we lost youth in this state as a result of the action of some security operatives. It could be anybody. Several lives have also been lost in this regard. We owe Nigerians duty to protect lives and property. SARS is a creation of the police and we also believe that they can be engaged else they will continue to sniff lives out of innocent Nigerians.” Olatunji said.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Yemisi Opalola, while speaking to journalists, appealed to the protesters to be peaceful, adding that the Commissioner of police had complied with the Inspector General of Police, Muhammad Adamu’s directives to stop SARS operatives from the streets.
