Nigeria Union of Journalists tells Buhari to speak now on #EndSARS Protests

&NewLine;<p class&equals;"wp-block-paragraph">Nigeria Union of Journalists&comma; NUJ&comma; has urged <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;openlife&period;ng&sol;">President Muhammadu Buhari<&sol;a> to address citizens on the rising protests across Nigeria&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p class&equals;"wp-block-paragraph">The media body is alarmed by President Muhammadu Buhari’s &nbsp&semi;continued silence &nbsp&semi;over the &num;EndSARS protests that have engulfed the country&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p class&equals;"wp-block-paragraph">Nigerians&comma; mainly the youth are protesting against <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;wsj&period;com">Police<&sol;a> brutality&period; The brutality  had characterised the operations of the dreaded Special Anti-Rubbery Squad &lpar;SARS&rpar; of the Nigeria Police&period; The disbanded SARS was legendary in its abuse of human rights&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p class&equals;"wp-block-paragraph">The Special Anti-Robbery Squad was founded in late&nbsp&semi;1992&nbsp&semi;by former police commissioner Simeon Danladi Midenda&period; SARS was formed when Colonel Rindam of the Nigerian Army was killed by police officers at a checkpoint in Lagos&period; The unfortunate killing in September&nbsp&semi;1992&comma; later led to the arrest of three officers&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p class&equals;"wp-block-paragraph">A statement by the Union&comma; signed by the National Secretary&comma; &nbsp&semi;Shuaibu Usman Leman emphasized that &OpenCurlyDoubleQuote; Although the Inspector General of Police quickly disbanded SARS and substituted it with the Special Weapons Attack Team &lpar;SWAT&rpar;&comma; the protesters are not impressed&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p class&equals;"wp-block-paragraph">To them&comma; the haste with which SWAT was established was a gimmick to thwart the agitation for Police complete reform&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h2 class&equals;"wp-block-heading"><strong>TOM OGA UHIA<&sol;strong><&sol;h2>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p class&equals;"wp-block-paragraph">&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;We equally call on the Inspector General of Police to immediately end all acts of impunity against Journalists&period; Specifically we call for the unconditional release of Tom Oga Uhia&comma; Publisher of Power Steering Magazine&period; Tom Oga has been detained since last week on the orders of Minister of State for Power&comma; Godwin Jeddy Agba&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p class&equals;"wp-block-paragraph">&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;He was alleged to have defamed him&period; Since the Police are unable to take him to court&comma; his continued detention further exposes the decay and impunity in the Police&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p class&equals;"wp-block-paragraph">&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;We agree that the proper measures in addressing the grievances of the protesters have not been taken&period; We suggest that the President and Commander-in-Chief&comma; Muhammadu Buhari should come out and address Nigerians with a clear strategy on how to tackle these grievances&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p class&equals;"wp-block-paragraph">&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;Certainly&comma; Mr President has not lost his voice&period; Nigerians are waiting as the nation sits on a time bomb&comma; the Nigeria Union of Journalists said&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;