‘Leave Our Roads Now’, FCT Natives Tell EndSARS Protesters

The Indigenous people of the Federal Capital Territory FCT have asked the #EndSARS protesters to vacate major roads in the territory, lamenting how the continued protests have led to the disruption of economic and social activities in the nation’s capital.

In a letter signed on their behalf by Yusuf Yunusa and addressed to the Inspector General of the Police IGP, Mohammed Adamu, the natives said they were frustrated and are on the verge of losing their temper.

While they expressed displeasure and anger at the number of deaths recorded in the protests, they complained that countless farm products have gotten spoilt due to road blockages and that daily earners are starved because their customers can no longer reach them. Part of the letter reads:

“We the members of the Indigenous People of the FCT wish to express our unreserved displeasure and anger at the blockade of our roads and the disruption of economic activity.

“We write to express our offense, our disgust and our anger at the activities of these so called EndSARS protesters and their blockage of roads, tributaries that function for the economic activities of the FCT residents, not to mention the needless loss of lives.

“We do not want this, and we reject these continued protests, particularly the form these blockages are taking. Indeed, the laws that make these protests lawful, reserve in the exercise of all vested human rights the fact that where the right of one person ends, the right of another begins.

“When the protest started, we members of the Abuja community gave it our support because indeed it was a genuine cause for the abolition of SARS, a unit of the police force that had begun to commit illegal activities against Nigerians.

“The government kept its word and listened to the protesters. It is however unfortunate that despite these requests being granted, the protesters have refused to return to their businesses and work.

“The freedom of assembly is not permitted to deny others their freedom of movement. That is an infringement and should not be tolerated or accepted by the government or its law enforcement institutions.

“We, therefore, call on the Federal Government to enforce the prohibition of these demonstrations and blockages of our roads.

“If the protesters must continue with the exercise of their rights, they must do so in such a way that recognizes and upholds the right of movement of other FCT residents.”