Police should give water to #EndSARS protesters, says Buhari aide

Reports that #EndSARS protests met with violent police crackdown has sparked more anger against the outfit.

President Muhammadu Buhari’s special assistant on digital and new media, Tolu Ogunlesi, tweeted, “Police that should be handing out face masks and bottled water to peaceful protesters… The response to police brutality is not further police brutality.”

Police that should be handing out face masks and bottled water to peaceful protesters… ??‍♂️

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The response to peaceful protesters protesting police brutality is not further police brutality…

— tolu ogunlesi (@toluogunlesi) October 9, 2020

Olu Onemola, a community organiser who previously worked as an aide in Nigeria’s senate, says he and his cousin were arrested by police on their way to joining the protest in the capital, Abuja

They were “pushed into the back of a pickup” before later giving a statement and being released, he adds.

One protester shared a video on Twitter in which he claimed police was “shooting” at protesters.

#AbujaTwitterCommunity #EndSARSBrutality #EndPoliceBrutalitynow #EndSarsprotestAbuja police shooting at us pic.twitter.com/dVTLh7TOeE

— Freeze (@FreezeAbuja) October 9, 2020

Others say tear gas and gunfire have been used to force peaceful protesters away – though the footage and photos posted on social media cannot be independently verified.

Police force is not an independent body, except the heads of various units are complicit, they should be able to instill discipline.

The entire force has been left for too long without checks, and right now they feel harassed to be subjected to scrutiny

— Logical Male (@bigbabydam) October 9, 2020

Growing anger

You can imagine this horrible approach @PoliceNG as resolved to use. In your wildest thought, do you think this would end just like this?
You all are terrible. A country with sancrosact right to protest for a better living.#EndSARSProtestAbuja pic.twitter.com/uKYCiJPSoa

— De-F Inc. (@Definc_) October 9, 2020

The protests follow come amidst growing anger against the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad.

It has been accused of extortion, intimidation, torture and killings.

The Inspector-General of Police issued a directive stopping SARS and other tactical squads from routine duties—traffic checks, road blocks, stop and search.

The directive also stops them from performing any duties in mufti.

Several state commands have issued directives to look out for officers

But protesters are calling for SARS to be completely scrapped.