Following mass protests of thousands of youths across the country, the federal government disbanded the notorious Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS). This was through an announcement by Inspector General of Police on Sunday. It marks a victory for the #EndSars campaign, but it is not enough.
The Maj. Gen. Buhari (retd) regime was forced to make that declaration based on our collective mass action. That again establishes the truism that in our hands is placed a power greater than the bosses’ hoarded gold. We commend the youth and everyone that lent support to this struggle so far. We must advance the fight against repression and state coercion in every manner.
For emphasis sake we must state it again that when we say #EndSARS, we are calling for an end to police brutality. When we say #EndSARS, we are demanding justice for Alex Ogbu, justice for Kolade Johnson, justice for Tina Ezekwe and all victims of the killer state agents either dead or alive. And we are demanding justice for Jimoh Isiaq who was killed on 10th October during the #EndSARS protest.
The dissolution of the FSARS is not enough to do justice to all assaults on working-class people, particularly the youth. And the federal government cannot even be trusted to keep its word on this dissolution except we maintain the pressure.
Just few minutes after the dissolution was announced, the Nigeria police violently attacked protesters in Abuja and other places. That is to show the hypocrisy of the regime. This also shows the insensitivity of the government to the plight of working-class people in Nigeria. The government’s insensitivity equally reflects in the incessant socioeconomic attacks on the poor masses such as fuel price hike, electricity price increment among others.
We thus commend the resolve reached on the barricades by the youths, including members of the Socialist Workers and Youth League (SWL) to continue the struggle for total end to police brutality and all forms of oppression. We also urge all workers and youth to join the barricades tomorrow and in the coming days and weeks as the struggle deepens. This is a battle for our total liberation let us all fight it to victory!
Aluta continua! Vitoria e certa!!
Lai BROWN
National Secretary
