Wike accuses FG of trivialising #ENDSARS protesters' demands

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State says the federal government is trivialising #ENDSARS protesters’ demands by asking state governors to take charge of Tactical Commands of the Police.

The National Executive Council (NEC) had on Thursday, October 15, 2020, directed governors to “establish a State-based Special Security and Human Rights Committee to be chaired by the Governors in their States, to supervise the newly formed police tactical units and all other security agencies located in the State.”

The NEC also urged governors to establish judicial panels of inquiry to investigate complaints of police brutality or extra-judicial killings.

According to Laolu Akande, the spokesperson to the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, the directive was issued at a meeting attended by governors.

But barely 24 hours after the meeting, Governor Wike took to Twitter to disagree with the directive.

In a tweet on Friday, October 16, 2020, Wike said governors cannot take charge of the tactical units of the police because they do not powers to employ or discipline erring officers.

He tweeted, “The Federal Government is trivialising the demands by #EndSARS protesters by directing State Governors to take charge of Tactical Commands of the Police. State Governors cannot take charge of Tactical Commands because they cannot employ or discipline anyone who errs”.

The NEC’s directive to governors was issued following nationwide protests against police brutality in Nigeria.

For over a week now, Nigerian youths have been protesting against the activities of the recently-disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigeria Police Force.

The youths are also demanding a total overhaul of the Force.

The protests have, however, intensified despite the dissolution of SARS by the Inspector General of Police, Adamu Mohammed on Sunday, October 11, 2020.