#EndSARS memorial protest: Nigerians ‘ve valid point to protest against increasing police brutality, extortion – Ozobo tells IGP

By Mary Temewei

Niger Delta foremost human rights activist and intellectual agitator, Comrade Ozobo Austin has told the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Usman Alkali that Nigerian citizens have valid point to protest against increasing unchecked daily police brutality, extortion and lawlessness in the country.

He urged IGP and relevant authorities to stop police brutality, extortion and unimaginable lawlessness against Nigerian citizens to avoid citizens revolution.

The activist who spoke to Congress correspondent on Wednesday morning, said despite the destructive #EndSARS protest a year go, the police had not learnt lesson, noting that police brutality, extortion and lawlessness had taken another dangerous dimension in the country.

However, he condemned the arrest and harassments of #EndSARS memorial peaceful protesters in Lagos, asserting that the act of the police is provocative and could incite sympathizers from other states.

While justifying the #endSARS memorial protest, Ozobo reiterated that some Nigerian police were now turning to license criminals, intimidating and robbing citizens with guns bought with citizens tax payers money.

The angry rights activist said, Nigerian citizens were now treated like animals and slaves in their own country, stressing that this may provoke another #EndSARS destructive protest which may end police reign in the country.

“We can’t travel with either public or private vehicles for fear of police brutality, intimidation, excessive extortion and harassments. Nigerian police are now more lawlessness than citizens.

“Police aggression against citizens is overbearing. The lawlessness is getting increased day in and day out without authorities doing nothing. Police are now multiplying the hardship of the common citizens.

“I was briefed of police forceful extortions at gun threats. They collected from a citizen, one million naira, others
N400.000, N200,00, N150,000 and many more.

“In the face of these you can’t expect Nigerian citizens to fold their hands and continuous to suffer this endless slavery. So the #EndSARS memorial protest is justifiable, the activist said.

“I wish to further call on the Inspector General of Police, IGP, and Federal, state governments and police commissioners in the various States to prevail quickly on the Nigerian police to stop the excessive extortion and brutality on citizens, if there should be law and order in the country” he added.