By Brave Dickson
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Rivers State has blamed personnel of the Nigeria Police Force and soldiers for the killing of some #ENDSARS protesters, describing the action of the security agents as unprofessional.
The blame on the nation’s security agencies was contained in a statement signed by the State Chairman of CAN, Apostle Stanley Dimkpa.
The chairman said: “Our greatest worry was the manner in which the protest was hijacked by the enemies of national development who hired both thugs to disrupt the nation-wide protest and the unprofessional involvement of the police and army that led to the loss of lives.
“We humbly call on the Rivers State Government, the Rivers State Commissioner of Police and other security agencies to expedite action in curbing the spread of violence in Rivers State (particularly in Oyigbo Local Government Area) while commending them for their efforts so far.
“We strongly join our CAN National President Rev Dr. Samson Olasupo A. Ayokunle to plead with our aggrieved youths to calm down and stop this protest henceforth in order not to give room for hoodlums to perpetrate more evil by destroying, looting of property and killing humans.”
You recall that after the hitherto peaceful protest suddenly turned into a bloodbath in some parts of the country, President Muhammadu Buhari in his address to the nation ordered the discontinuation of the #ENDSARS protest.
Buhari said: “The choice to demonstrate peacefully is a fundamental right of citizens as enshrined in Section 40 of our Constitution and other enactments, but this right to protest also imposes on the demonstrators the responsibility to respect the rights of other citizens, and the necessity to operate within the law.
“I am indeed deeply pained that innocent lives have been lost. These tragedies are uncalled for and unnecessary.”
