Cracks in ongoing #EndSARS protest as Sowore is accused of hijacking struggle

Cracks in ongoing #EndSARS protest as Sowore is accused of hijacking struggle

Cracks in ongoing #EndSARS protest as Sowore is accused of hijacking struggle

There appears to be an ideological battle going on between the agitators and protesters of the now global call for the disbandment of the notorious Special-Anti Robbery Squad unit of the Nigeria Police Force. Themed #EndSARS, the protest have now become a nationwide movement with a UK version also set for tomorrow.
However, it has been observed that the protest now has cracks due to certain ideological differences between the leaders of the young agitators. It was gathered that chief of this problems was the emergency appearance of former Presidential hopeful, Omoyele Sowore who have for some time now unsuccessfully mobilised enough support for his #RevolutionNow cause.
It was gathered that following the picketing of the office of the Lagos State Governor as well as the state House of Assembly by a group of young people whose sole request was the proscribing of the SARS unit if the police, the nation started paying more attention to the cause and this motivated even more people in other areas to also join the cause. The young men and women who invaded the Lagos seat of power in Alausa, Ikeja on Thursdays shocked the world when they spent the night under the open sky to drive home their point. This was despite the various threats and cajoling by security operatives and political forces. The group which had amongst others, comedian Mr Macaroni and some popular social media influencers insisted that their voices must be headed and the government do the needful by putting an end to SARS and reforming the Police Force.
The group also had in audience, the Speaker of LAHA, Mudasiru Obasa who despite his running financial issues with the EFCC spoke with the protesters and even had them in audience as the legislators discussed the issue on the floor of the assembly.
However, after 72 hours of protesting, the initial protesters announced that they were calling an end to the protest as they had driven home their point.
It was however later gathered that this decision was informed when they discovered that some forces had teamed up with them with plans to turn it into a political protest.
Not wanting to be used as tools for some other sundry clamour especially from the pseudo political movement, #RevolutionNow, the protesters which include Rinu Oduala, Ladi Ogunseye, Temitope Oanu. Earlier on, top entertainers including rapper Falz, Runtown, Small Doctor led the protest which made a simple clamour for the end of SARS who have continuously become notorious for killing innocent citizens, extortion, kidnapping amongst other illegal activities.
At the moment, there is a war of words ongoing between the leaders of the End SARS protest and Omoyele Sowore for the latter’s attempt to allegedly hijack the ongoing protest.
Rinu in a tweet moments ago revealed that the reason the protest was almost called off was because of the activities of Sowore and his RevolutionNow campaigners but Sowore is fighting back insisting that he like many of his supporters also have a right to be a part of the protest.

“I am done trying to avoid stepping on toes!!
The main reason we stopped the 72 hours protest was because the RevolutionNow protesters tried to hijack our movement!
We would like to reiterate that we are not affiliated to any political or civil groups!
We are the people”, Rinu tweeted.
She stated further that “If the RevolutionNow people have the interest of the people at heart, they will not be trying to sabotage our movement and destroy our goals with their berets and flyers!
@YeleSowore With all due respect sir. Take note of this. We are not interested in Politics Gimmicks.”

This corroborated Mr Macaroni’s earlier tweet asking protesters and observers to disregard Sahara Reporters owned by Sowore. Sahara Reporters had earlier alleged that the protest leaders were being bribed by the Lagos State government to call off the protest.

Please don’t give Sahara Reporters any attention!!! Na Wayray dem be!! Dem dey disguise!! This movement cannot be hijacked by desperate People who are obsessed with being called heroes!! The true heroes are all Nigerian Youths fighting this fight for freedom!!! #EndSARS.” Mr Macaroni tweeted.

Sowore however responded tweeting

But this is not your “our” movement, it is a movement of everyone enraged with and about the violation of our collective dignity and rights! You don’t don’t own #Endsars, I don’t own it, we all own it! There is no need of a new tyranny of appropriation @SavvyRinu #RevolutionNow”.

Despite the growing sparks within the #EndSARS protest appears to be gathering momentum as various cities in Nigeria have caught the bug with young people hitting the street to call for a disbandment of the notorious Police unit.
Ikorodu, Ogbomosho, Abeokuta, Ibadan, Abuja, Lekki, Delta, Edo while international celebrities and entertainers have also added their voice to the protest.

editor

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