The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has reacted to the reports of violent attacks on protesting youth under the aegis of # ENDSARS in Lagos and other states in the Country.
The union condemned in strongest terms government’s handling of Tuesday’s Lekki incident and called on the Federal Government to get to the root of the crisis and ensure that justice is done and seen to have been done to all victims of brutality and murder.
ASUU in a statement signed by its President, Biodun Ogunyemi (Prof), said it fully identified with Nigerian youth in exercising their Constitutional rights of freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and non – violent protest.
The union also attest to the reckless, unguarded, and anti – people activist of the nowdefunct Special anti – Robbery Squad (SARS) arm of Nigeria Police Force.
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“From all indication, SARS had become an instrument of oppression, intimidating, extorting and killing innocent youth and citizens on trumpup charges.
“Those who survived the SARS experience tell gory tales.”
“The mere name change of the killer organisation (SARS) is not enough to ease the deep-rooted impression of betrayal by a security outfit supported with taxpayers’ money.
“ASUU notes that with regrets, Nigeria has not grown beyond the conquest subjugation orientation of colonial rule evidence in police and military brutalisation of civilian populace.
“Any approach to security that ignores the existential needs of the citizenry – economy, social, and cultural is tenuous.”
The union said it has not ceased to condemn Nigeria’s dependent and weak position within a declining and crisis – ridden world capitalist system, drawing attention to the presence of a local exploiting class whose members collaborate with foreign exploring firms to steal Nigeria’s wealth and transfer it abroad.
“The Government must lead way in restoring peace and justices in Nigeria.
“Security operatives must be stopped from the senseless killing of harmless youth protesters while infiltrators must be brought under check through active intelligence”, it added.
The union commiserates with the families whose children and ward’s lives were cut short in the course of #EndSARS protests nationwide.
“We equally empathise with youth and other citizens who are still nursing various degrees of injury and wish them a full and speedy recovery.”
It however urged the government to take measures to fish out the culprits and bring them to justice without further delay in order to calm all frayed nerves.
It said the rulling class should always remember that only continuous engagements with the citizens especially the energetic youth population and working class would deepen Nigeria’s democracy and guarantee lasting peace in the Country.
