The Chairman of the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has called for cool heads to prevail in the #EndSARS impasse in Nigeria.

He has also called for calm in the rising tension and violence in parts of Nigeria that has claimed some lives.

President Akufo-Addo said he joined all well-meaning persons in calling for calm and the use of dialogue in resolving the #EndSARS impasse in the largest country in ECOWAS.

Protest against SARS

Using the social media hashtag #EndSars to rally crowds to protest against the special police unit, the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), demonstrators have been unrelenting in their protest, insisting on a complete disbanding of the unit.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, in reaction, on October 11 announced that the special unit had been disbanded, but the protests have continued, with demands for more changes in the security forces, as well as reforms in the way the country is run.

According to media reports, things got to a head last Tuesday when uniformed men allegedly opened fire on a crowd of around 1,000 demonstrators at Lekki, a suburb of Lagos.

Yesterday, the BBC reported that some buildings had been torched and there were also gunshots, as tensions heightened.

Violence not the solution

Posting on his Facebook wall, President Akufo-Addo called for calm and urged all to allow for a peaceful resolution of the issue, as the Nigerian President had committed to the reform, stressing that violence was not the solution.

“I have spoken with President Buhari, who is committed to this end, and has begun the processes that will lead to reform.

“Violence, be it on the part of the police or protesters, cannot be the solution,” President Akufo-Addo intimated.

The ECOWAS Chairman also commiserated with the families of victims of the violent fallout and also wished the injured a speedy recovery.

“To the families who have lost their loved ones, I express my sincere condolences, and I wish the injured a speedy recovery,” he said.

ECOWAS

Meanwhile, the ECOWAS Commission has also noted with concern the disturbing incidents happening in Nigeria.

The commission, in a statement, expressed its condolences to the families and friends of those who had lost their lives during the protests and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

It said while the regional body recognised the right of citizens to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly and protests, it also wished to stress that those rights should be exercised in a non-violent manner.

“In this regard, the ECOWAS Commission calls on all protesters to remain peaceful in the conduct of their demonstrations,” the statement said, and urged the Nigerian security operatives to exercise restraint in the handling of the protests and act professionally.

The commission further noted that in an effort to address the demands of the protesting youth, the Federal Government of Nigeria took important decisions regarding the disbandment of SARS, comprehensive police reforms and investigation of cases of police brutality.

It encouraged the Nigerian authorities to conduct the investigations.

AU

The African Union has also condemned the violence and urged both political and social actors to respect human rights and the rule of law.

The Chairperson of the AU Commission, Moussa Faki, hailed the disbandment of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (Sars) and encouraged investigations to ensure "perpetrators of acts of violence are held to account".

UN

Also, the Secretary General of the United Nations (UN), António Guterres, has called for an end to what he called "brutality" by the police in Nigeria.

He urged the security forces to act with maximum restraint and also urged the demonstrators to refrain from violence.

A spokesman for the UN, Stéphane Dujarric, said: "The Secretary General urges the security forces to act at all times with maximum restraint, while calling on protesters to demonstrate peacefully and to refrain from violence."

Dujarric also said the UN boss had also called on the Nigerian authorities to investigate the alleged incidents of violence and brutalities by the security forces and hold the perpetrators accountable.