… Say other interests have taken over the protests, could compound collective security . By Luminous Jannamike Northern Elders Forum,
on Monday night advised the anti-SARS protesters to end their agitations on the streets. Youths had, since October 6, begun non-stop protests against and extra-judicial killings by operatives of the now-disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad, a unit of the Nigeria Police. However, the Northern elders expressed the fear that other interests have taken over the agitation, adding that this could compound collective security and put innocent lives in danger. They also asked the President and 36 states governors to take steps to lower tensions and engage youths in order to give them assurances that their cause was not lost. NEF spoke via a press statement signed and issued in Abuja by Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, its Director of Publicity and Advocacy. The statement reads: “Northern Elders Forum has closely followed the protests which began as a response to prolonged and widespread abuse by Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and related issues on the need for higher levels of accountability by leaders and state institutions. “The Forum had released a Statement a week ago in which it drew attention to the fact that there were genuine grounds for anger at accumulated grievances around the security and welfare of Nigerians, especially in the North. “We had advised that governments must embark on far-reaching changes and reforms, and introduce policies that should improve security and economic well-being of Nigerians.
