by Aisha Audu.
Chairman Kogi State Security Trust Fund, Hon. Teina Abdulmalik has called for restraint and the return to the dialogue table as Nigerian youths protest against police brutality.
Hon Abdulmalik made the call in a statement to press men in Lokoja, the Kogi state capital.
Hon. Abdulmalik expressed his condolences to the families and friends of those who have lost their lives during the protests and wished the injured a speedy recovery.
While he recognised the right of citizens to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly and protests, he stressed that those rights should be exercised in a non-violent manner.
In this regard, the chairman called on all protesters to remain peaceful in the conduct of their demonstrations.
He also urged the Nigerian security operatives to exercise restraint in the handling of the protests and act professionally.
He noted that in an effort to address the demands of the protesting youth, the Federal Government of Nigeria took important decisions regarding disbandment of SARS, comprehensive police reforms and investigation of cases of police brutality. He encouraged the Nigerian authorities to conduct the investigation with dispatch.
Finally, Kogi Security Trust Fund chairman appealed to the federal government of Nigeria, the Nigerian youth and the civil society to urgently pursue dialogue for an early and amicable resolution of this social unrest and maintain the Nigerian image as a bastion of law and order.
