Lawan meets IGP, DG DSS, seeks end to protests

TRACKING___President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, yesterday met with the Inspector General of Police , Mohammad Adamu and Director General of the Department of State Services , Yusuf Magaji Bichi, to explore ways of quelling the rising tension in the country.

The meeting followed the shootings on Tuesday night at the Lekki Toll Plaza, Lagos, which resulted in the death of an unknown number of persons involved in the #ENDSARS protests.

Emerging from the meeting, Lawan appealed to Nigerian leaders across religious , political , ethnic and regional divides , to join hands with the government in quelling the crisis.

Lawan, who had the meeting with the security chiefs along with the entire leadership of the Senate , said what started as very legitimate peaceful protests on equally legitimate demands , has turned violent and completely hijacked by those who don’t know what the #EndSARS Protesters came out for in the first place.

He said that the intervention of leaders at all levels was urgently needed in putting a stop to the protests.

“The time has come for the hijacked protests to stop, requiring intervention of leaders at all levels across the country regardless of religious , ethnic , political differences .

“Those who started the protests are no doubt, Patriots , the very reason the Senate in its first resolution on it two weeks ago , supported them and called on the Federal Government to accede to their five – point demand.

“Also at that time , President Muhamnadu Buhari also responded well by not only endorsing the disbandment of Special Anti Robbery Squad ( SARS) but declaring that holistic reform would be carried out in the Police .

“Our appeal to Nigerians at this time, particularly leaders, is to join government in bringing an end to the now hijacked protests for government to address the issues raised before violence set in”, he said Lawan warned that Nigerians should not allow themselves to be taken in the wrong direction as being witnessed in some states of the federation.