#EndSARS: Kano youth protest against police brutality, endorse SWAT

Hundreds of youth in Kano on Wednesday joined their peers across the country to protest against police brutality while calling for reform.

The group which protested under the auspices of Coalition of Youth Groups, also declared support of the newly created police outfit, Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT) to replace the dreaded Special Anti-robbery Squad (SARS), earlier dissolved.

The convener of the rally, Khalid Sanusi, commended President Muhammadu Buhari and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) for prompt response to the demand of Nigerians on disbanding SARS and reforming the police.

The protesters, however, commended the disbanded SARS, who they said aid in reduction of crime in the state, as they called on the IGP “to re-evaluate, restructure, rebrand and rebuild confidence in an efficient and effective anti-robbery tactical unit in the force.”

While addressing the protesters, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje commended the youth for cooperating with the security to achieve peace in Kano.

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He said the protesters had taken a positive stand in not condemning wholly the police as an institution, however, asking to fish out the bad ones among the police.

“We noticed that there are protests in some sections of the country, while in Kano our youth have decided to take a good stand by not condemning the police as an institution but only condemned a few bad eggs among them.

“Reforming the police institution is what our youth here in Kano are agitating for. We are commending you for maintaining peace and order in the state,” the governor said while receiving the protesters.