We Are Trying To Avoid Second Wave Of #EndSARS Protest – Chairman Northern Govs Forum

The Chairman of Northern Governors Forum says hands are on deck to engage Nigerian youths and avoid a second wave of #EndSARS Protest.

Simon Lalong who is also the state governor of Plateau disclosed this in an interview with Channels Television on Monday. He said the plan to avoid the reoccurrence of #EndSARS protest was agreed upon after a meeting by northern leaders including state governors, traditional leaders, and northern political leaders.

“We came out of the meeting with very useful suggestions and a communique.

“In that meeting, we all agreed to go back and continue engagement particularly addressing issues from #EndSARS because we are also trying to avoid the second wave of #EndSARS.

“We want to address some of those issues that are on ground, to prevail on people not to engage in destructions. Because the #EndSARS protest was hijacked by hoodlums which led to several destructions,” he said.

Lalong speaking further on deliberations from the meeting said although #EndSARS protests is not wrong, but was hijacked by demonstrators targeting regime change.

“Nobody is saying that initially, the protest was wrong. But the fact that it was hijacked by hoodlums to destroy public and private properties was a matter of great concern.

“What we are trying to do is to get back to the drawing board and close the communication gap between the leaders and the led. So that there will be no  #EndSARS again.

“So, what we intend to do is to provide opportunities by engaging the youths so that they will be taken off the streets,” Lalong said.

Nigerian, especially youths calling for the scrapping of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigeria Police Force began protests on October 8. The protests were held in major cities and lasted for two weeks.

Northern leaders after their meeting on Monday condemned the protests describing it as an agenda for regime change.

The governors also called for control of social media.