#EndSARS: Ford Foundation Alumni call for end to protests

The International Ford Fellowship Programme Alumni Association Nigeria (IFFPAAN) has called for an end to the #EndSARS protests that has led to the killings of some citizens.

IFFPAAN stated this in a statement on Thursday sent to PREMIUM TIMES. The statement was jointly signed by Phebe Jatau and Austin Aigbe.

The call is coming on the heels of the #EndSARS protest that has ravaged the entire country.

In the last two weeks, thousands of Nigerian youth have taken to the streets to express their grievances.

The protest yielded results with the disbandment of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and setting up a judicial panel of enquiry by state governments.

But it soon turned violent. At least, 16 persons have died since it began. There have also been burning and looting of public and private assets across the country.

REACH OUT TO AGGRIEVED GROUPS

While calling on the protesters to suspend all protests, IFFPAAN also urged the Federal and State Governments to reach out to aggrieved groups to forestall future reoccurrence.

“The International Ford Fellowship Programme Alumni Association Nigeria (IFFPAAN) hereby condemns the widespread violence, shootings, killings, arson and looting across the country in the last two days,” the group said.

“We send our condolences to families who lost their loved ones and pray for the speedy recovery and healing of the injured.”

“IFFPAAN calls the situation a major crisis that unduly sets the country on the precipice and wants government to quickly act to bring the country back from the cliffhanger.

“This it can do by the presentation of a clear plan of action to address all the concerns of Nigerians, not only about the misconduct of police and other security agencies of state, but also the long-existing cases of inequality in the country.”

“We believe that this situation could have been managed differently to avert degenerating to the current level that has witnessed wanton destruction of public infrastructure and private businesses and property by hoodlums. We cannot continue on this road if we all care for the protection of life, livelihood, property and the survival of the country.”

“We plead with citizens to call off further protests and physical expression of anger at this time to avert a hijack and descent to more violence.”

“We at the same time call on government to immediately reach out to all aggrieved groups to resolve all identified grouses and conflicts,” the statement read.