The commissioner for youth political participation, Pan-African Youth Union, Ambassador Oladele Nihi has commended Nigerian youths, particularly those who have been on the streets protesting against the activities of the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
In a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday, Nihi urged the #EndSARS protesters to appoint leaders who will negotiate with the government on their behalf.
The youth leader urged protesters to consider the offer made by Kogi state Governor Yahaya Bello to liaise on their behalf with Federal government.
He viewed Governor Bello’s offer as an opportunity for the youth to dialogue with government given that he is the youngest governor in Nigeria.
The statement reads:
“I want to sincerely appreciate and commend Nigerian Youths both those on the streets protesting and the online supporters of the on going #EndSARS protest and call for total reform of the Nigerian Police Force.
“For sustaining the protest this far, we have demonstrated that Nigerian youths are not lazy and most importantly, we are now prepared to build the Nigeria of our dream.
“The unity of purpose that exist among us since the beginning of the protest, has sustained the protest thus far but I must say, the job is not over yet, therefore, the time to be on the dialogue table with government is now.
“I wish to state categorically that a lot has been achieved by this protest. We have spoken in unison and the government has heard us clearly. The government has also demonstrated its willingness to sit with us so as to listen to our demands for implementation.
“I wish to call on Nigerian youths to accept this offer especially now that thugs and hoodlums are already hijacking the peaceful protest.
“Let’s aggregate our demands and appoint among ourselves #EndSARS protester frontliners who has shown much commitment to the struggle to represent all of us and present our demands to government while we suspend the protest and give government timeline to implement these demands.”
