The Nigeria Police Force through its different zonal commands across the nation, have issued warnings to Nigerians on the planned resumption of the second phase of EndSARS protests.
According to reports, there was anxiety as various police commands yesterday, as they issued the warnings against such gatherings.
A spokesman for the police command in Lagos, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, reacting to the planned second phase of the EndSARS protests, said no such gathering would be permitted.
He said in a statement that some unpatriotic individuals and groups were planning to embark on the replica of the recent destructive and violent protests that unleashed pains and agony on Lagos.
The statement reads: “The command has reliably gathered intelligence that certain individuals/groups have concluded plans to lure unsuspecting Lagosians, especially youths, into their planned protest which is proposed to commence December 7 (today) at designated locations in the state.
“The Lagos State Police Command wishes to re-echo and remind the public that the Government of Lagos State, businesses, individuals and security families still groan in losses and pains that the last violent #EndSARS protest occasioned.
“Lagos State is still nursing the wounds orchestrated by some violent #EndSARS protesters and not fit to accommodate such protest for now.
“In the light of the above, the Lagos State Police Command, therefore, warns those who might want to disguise under #EndSARS protest to cause another set of mayhem, brouhaha and violence in the state, to desist from such plans as the police and other security agencies will not fold their arms seeing individuals or groups orchestrating another violence and anarchy in the state.
“The command also warns parents and guardians to warn and discourage their children and wards from being lured into any act, gathering or protest capable of causing violence in the state.
“The command wishes to reiterate that any unlawful gathering, procession or protest will be suppressed professionally in accordance with the provisions of the law.
“The police command encourages Lagosians and those who are in Lagos for their genuine engagements to go about their lawful businesses as all hands are on the deck to maintain law and order within the length and breadth of Lagos State.”
In Abuja, the police said arrangements had been concluded to ensure there was no breakdown of law and order.
The Command’s spokesman, Yusuf Mariam, could not be reached, but a senior officer, who preferred not to be named, said policemen have been mobilised.
He said: “Adequate men have been deployed. We will perform our constitutional responsibility as expected of us and ensure there is no breakdown of law and order.”
At a meeting with Commissioners of Police across the country in Abuja a couple of weeks ago, the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, said the force would not allow another #EndSARS protests.
The Abia State Police Command, however, said any protest must be with the approval of the Commissioner of Police, Janet Agbede.
The spokesman, Geoffrey Ogbonna, told our correspondent that anyone who plans to stage a protest must notify the police, stating time, place of convergence, routes and duration of the protests.
The letter should get to the command at least 48 hours before the exercise.
Ogbonna said the essence of the notification was to provide security for the protesters to avoid its hijack by hoodlums.
The Anambra State Police command said there was no cause for alarm.
The command’s spokesman, Mohammed Haruna, said: “We are fully on the ground. There is no cause for alarm. The Police command with its sister agencies is not going to sleep on duty. We are ready.”
The Police in Rivers State said its officers and men were ready to curtail any second wave of the #EndSARS protest in the state.
The spokesman, Nnamdi Omoni, said though there was no sign of an imminent protest, the command intercepted some intelligence about its possibility and was ready to curtail it.
He said: “We uncovered intelligence of the likelihood of the protest and we have put measures in place to curtail it”.
Nigerian youths across the cities of Abuja, Lagos and Ibadan, the Oyo state capital have taken to the streets, as the second Phase of the EndSARS protests kicks off.
Others cities expected to join the second wave are Port Harcourt, Onitsha, Ondo, Kaduna, Calabar, and others.
The organisers of the second Phase of EndSARS protests, who raised awareness on the social media, said the second wave was to demand the release of all protesters detained following the first phase.
They also want restrictions on all accounts of #EndSARS leaders at the instance of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) lifted.