The Campaign for Democratic and Workers’ Rights (CDWR) has condemned the attack on peaceful protesters in Abuja and Lagos by armed thugs allegedly sponsored by members of the reactionary ruling elite.
The group in a statement issued on Wednesday, said, “We salute the courage of the protesters who stood their ground. These attacks could be the pattern across the federation in the coming days as the ruling elite have shown desperation to forcefully break and end the mass protest. We call on protesters across the federation to defend themselves where necessary.
“The ENDSARS mass protest broke out due to police terror attacks and brutality against many young people and working people in general across the federation. The Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) is notorious for attacking the rights of young people and Nigerians in general to the extent of robbing people of their hard-earned money and valuables at gunpoint and killing some of them in the process.
“The police stations have become money-making institutions wherein working people are subjected to extortion and torture. These atrocities are known to top police officers and government but they kept quiet. We cannot forget in a hurry the killing of 17-year-old Tina Ezekwe in Lagos; Kazeem Tiamiyu, the former assistant Captain of Remo Stars Football Club; Chibuike Daniel aka Sleek and many others including many that went unnoticed and unreported.
Working class and poor communities have always been under siege of police extortionist and brutal policies and the police top hierarchies benefit from these attacks. Campaign for Democratic and Workers’ Rights (CDWR) supports the ENDSARS protest and we call on the youths to deepen the agitations to demand jobs, quality and free education, housing, healthcare and basic infrastructure etc.
“CDWR Demands justice and compensation for families and persons who suffered brutality. We also demand an open and public democratic investigation into all cases of police brutality, torture and killings, and bring all erring officers to book. “