Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Muhammed Adamu is reportedly expected to announce the immediate disbandment of the police Special Anti-Robbery Squad.
According to a report by the Peoples Gazette, this imminent pronouncement by the IGP; means a victory for the Nigerian youth in their agitation against years of police brutality.
Top sources within the police and the presidency revealed on Saturday, October 11, that Adamu’s statement is being prepared; and will be publicised before the commencement of the new week.
1st News garnered that the IGP was scheduled to make the announcement on Friday after his meeting; with President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo at the State House.
However, he was allegedly discouraged by the presidential spokesman Femi Adesina, who said the administration should not surrender to Twitter warriors.
Mr. Adesina then proceeded to issue the highly-criticised statement that appeared to cast the president as insensitive to the #EndSARS campaign; which has gained worldwide backing over the past week.
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The IGP has now finally been asked to “announce this afternoon as things are getting out of hand,” the Gazette learnt.
Mr. Adamu was also initially scheduled to meet with top civil society players in Abuja on Friday to make the announcement, which was preempted by Mr. Adesina’s interjection.
A top police source also revealed that President Buhari was finally convinced that the protest should not go into a new week; because it is a decentralised movement with millions of young people with little experience in public agitation.
Meanwhile, the Police Command in Oyo State has debunked the reported shooting of EndSARS protesters in Ogbomoso by its personnel, on Saturday, October 10.
1st News reports that some youths had, on Saturday, stormed major streets in Ogbomoso; to demand the ban of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), an arm of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
One of the protesters was said to have been shot by the police in the process.
An eyewitness revealed that the victim was shot in the leg by the police; when the protesters reached Owode police station in Ogbomoso.
The witness said that the man was shot; as the policemen were trying to ensure that the station was not attacked by the protesters.
He also added that the victim had been rushed to an undisclosed hospital in the town.
However, the Public Relations Officer of the Police Command, SP Olugbenga Fadeyi, in a statement issued in Ibadan on Saturday, said that the police did not fire a single shot at any protester.
