The United Kingdom has warned its citizens to avoid large gatherings ahead of the first anniversary of public protests against police brutality, popularly called EndSARS, and the trial of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.

In a statement published on its website on Friday, the UK told its citizens to monitor the local media for information on possible protests in different parts of the country.

The statement read in part, “Events to mark the one-year anniversary of #EndSARS protests are likely to take place nationally, week commencing 18 October. There may be protests and a heightened security presence in major cities such as Lagos and Abuja.

“In parallel, the high-profile trial date of a separatist leader is also scheduled for 21 October in Abuja. There may be additional protests and a heightened security presence in Abuja and in the South-East for this reason. In all areas affected, you should monitor local media, and avoid any demonstrations or large gatherings,” the statement said.

The UK government also advised its citizens to follow instructions from security agencies, noting that there had been cases of violence and prolonged protests in certain areas of the country.

The statement added, “Since August 9, there has been an increase in protests and demonstrations in the South-East region of Nigeria. Protests, including ‘Stay at Home’ protests, are likely during October in the South East region. There have been reports of violence during Stay at Home protests previously. You should monitor local media, avoid any demonstrations or large gatherings and follow any instructions from local police and security forces.

“There have been a number of attacks and targeted killings in the South-East and South-South regions of Nigeria, including in the states of Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Imo, Abia, Anambra, Delta, Edo and Ebonyi. Some of these attacks have been on isolated roads and in remote locations, but there is a chance that they could occur in metropolitan areas.

“There is also a heightened risk of indiscriminate attacks on police and security infrastructure, which may inadvertently affect bystanders. A number of states have imposed curfews. Travelers to these regions are advised to exercise caution if travelling in remote areas at night and follow local news and information outlets for further information, including on local curfews,” it said.

Meanwhile, exactly one year after the directive by the National Economic Council for the establishment of Judicial Panels of Inquiry in 29 states and the Federal Capital Territory, over 2,791 petitions were submitted over the #EndSARS protest, a civil rights organisation, Yiaga Africa, said on Friday.

The organisation, however, expressed disappointment that despite the directive, seven states; Borno, Jigawa, Kano, Kebbi, Sokoto, Yobe, and Zamfara states, consistently refused to establish the panels.

The Director of Programmes in Yiaga Africa, Cynthia Mbamalu, said these in a statement in commemoration of the presidential directive titled, ‘#EndSARS: Complete panel sittings, release #EndSARS panels of inquiry reports and fully implement five for five demands.’

According to her, while the seven states were part of the collective NEC decision, “their actions reinforced the notion that the need to engage in meaningful security sector reform is yet to adopt a holistic and joint-partnership approach nationally.”

She also said over the past one year, the Judicial Panels of Inquiry in 25 states; Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Gombe, Imo, Kaduna, Katsina, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers and Taraba, have concluded sittings.

Mbamalu said, “Citizens’ observers deployed by Yiaga Africa to the judicial panels of inquiry and the weekly updates reported in partnership with Enough is Enough revealed that over 2,791 petitions were submitted across the 29 states and the FCT where the judicial panels of inquiry were established.

“With 25 states concluding their sitting, it is quite worrying to observe that the judicial panels of inquiry in four states; Anambra, Benue, Enugu, Kogi, and the FCT, suspended sitting for unknown reasons.

“So far, of the 25 states, only the reports of Abia, Bayelsa, Cross River, Ekiti, Ondo and Nasarawa judicial panels of inquiry have been submitted and publicly presented to the state government for implementation of their recommendations. Bayelsa, Ekiti and Ondo states are the only states whose reports are available to the public,” Mbamalu said.

Courtesy (excluding headline) The PUNCH

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