Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo- Olu , has extended the statewide curfew imposed on the state to stem the tide of growing violence by three days .

The governor made this known in a live broadcast .

This is coming some hours after eyewitnesses claimed armed uniformed men opened fire on # EndSARS protesters at the Lekki tollgate area of the state on Tuesday evening.

Punch

The Senate has asked the President , Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd . ) , to address the nation immediately on the current nationwide protests by youths against police brutality and bad governance .

The Senate also directed the police to offer protection to the # EndSARS protesters to prevent hoodlums from hijacking their genuine action .

The Senate decision was sequel to a point of order by Senator Biodun Olujimi , titled , “ # EndSARS : The need for a comprehensive and reform”

The federal lawmakers urged the protesters to stop their agitation on the streets while the Federal Government address their demands.

They also urged Buhari to immediately set up a judicial panel of enquiry made up eminent Nigerians that would be respected by the youths to identify the notorious SARS operatives and ensure their arrest and prosecution

Punch

Armed thugs are currently gathered around the Eagle Square located in the Three Arms Zone in Abuja .

The youth , some without shirts and many others in black , were still holding sticks and walking round the square .

The situation has made armed policemen and soldiers deployed in the Supreme Court gate of the Presidential Villa , be on red alert .

Soldiers manning the Cenotaph directly opposite the Eagle Square are also on standby .

Up the road, tight security was also noticed around the Court of Appeal premises and the Police Headquarters .

Policemen on horses and inside Arrnoured Personnel Carrier are keeping watch around the police headquarters .

Punch

The Senate is currently holding an emergency closed session apparently to appraise the current # EndSARS protests rocking various parts of the country.

No sooner had the senators resumed for the day ’ s plenary , the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan , called for an emergency session .

Lawan and the Speaker of the House of Representatives , Femi Gbajabiamila , had over the weekend, met with the President , Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd . ) , at Aso Villa in Abuja .

Top discussion at the meeting was the ongoing protests against the scrapped Special Anti- Robbery Squad of the Nigeria Police Force .
Rising from the meeting held inside the Presidential Villa , Abuja, Lawan told State House correspondents that the country and its leaders are passing through a trying time .

He told the protesting youths that it was time for them to stop the protests since the government has already started attending to their demands.

However , the youths have insisted that until there are visible changes , they won ’ t leave the streets .

The # EndSARS protests rocking the country have continued for almost two weeks with youths calling for a lasting reform of the Nigeria Police Force .

All entreaties by politicians and business leaders for the youths to leave the streets failed as they block major highways , thereby , causing gridlock and affecting economic activities.

Suspected hoodlums had also hijacked the # EndSARS campaign in some cities, wreaked havoc on citizens and vandalised public assets in Lagos , Benin , Abuja, amongst other major cities.

Punch

The Speaker , Femi Gbajabiamila , has said he will not sign the 2021 Appropriation Bill presently before the National Assembly if provisions are not made for the compensation of the families of victims of police brutality in the last decade.

Gbajabiamila also said he would also not sign the budget if implementation of the agreement between the Academic Staff Union of Universities and the Federal Government is not captured by the budget .

Both the Speaker of the House and President of the Senate sign bills passed by the National Assembly before they are transmitted to the President for assent .

In his opening remarks at the plenary , the Speaker notes that the # EndSARS protests “ have gotten more serious ” with pockets of violence in parts of the country. According to him , the protests “seem to have hijacked ” by those who have a different agenda .

Gbajabiamila noted that the Federal Government, through the National Human Rights Commission , had set up a panel of enquiry to take complaints from victims of police brutality .

According to the Speaker , none of these have convinced the agitators to suspend the protests .

He pointed out that expectations from the ruling class were high , stating that , “ Our people expect action and we just deliver . ”

Gbajabiamila recalled that the House, after debating the issues with the Nigeria Police Force and the # EndSARS protests, met with the Nigerian Bar Association last week.

He said the President of NBA , Olumide Apata , had also set up a panel led by Prof Deji Adekunle (SAN ) to work with the House on how to amend and create laws to reform the police .

The Speaker also disclosed that the House is considering the establishment of an independent body that investigate and recommends errant security operatives for sanction and prosecution . “ The police cannot be above the citizens … and above the law , ” he stated .

While threatening to withhold his signature to the appropriation bill , Gbajabiamila disclosed that he would be leading a delegation of lawmakers to pay condolence visits to families of some of those killed by the police , stressing that they would be honoured after the visits.

The Speaker , however , urged # EndSARS protesters to be cautious in handling the matter . He partly said , “ Don ’ t let your righteous cause be hijacked … and bring our nation to its needs … This is the time to move your agitation from the streets . ”

Punch

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo- Olu has imposed a 24 – hour curfew on the state effective 4 pm on today .

He said , “ I have watched with shock how what began as a peaceful # EndSARS protest has degenerated into a monster that is threatening the well- being of our society. Lives and limbs have been lost as criminals and miscreants are now hiding under the umbrella of these protests to unleash mayhem on our State .

“ As a government that is alive to its responsibility and has shown a commitment to the movement # ENDSARS , we will not watch and allow anarchy in our dear state .

“ I , therefore , hereby impose a 24 -hour curfew on all parts of the State as from 4 pm today , 20 th October , 2020 . Nobody , except essential service providers and first responders must be found on the streets . ”

Punch

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, has received a list of 35 operatives of the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, who have been recommended for prosecution and outright dismissal from the Nigeria Police Force.

The list of the indicted SARS operatives, drawn from 12 States and the Federal Capital Territory, was handed to the AGF at the Federal Ministry of Justice Headquarters in Abuja, by a team led by the Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, Mr. Tony Ojukwu.

The NHRC boss told newsmen that the affected SARS officers were found culpable of offences that ranged from alleged extra-judicial killings, unlawful arrest and detention, threat and intimidation, unfounded allegations, seizure of properties, as well as illegal blockage of bank accounts of innocent citizens.

Their indictment was contained in a voluminous report that was prepared by a three-man committee that was set-up to review and advise the federal government on implementation of recommendations of the Presidential Panel on Reform of SARS.

Vanguard

The Lagos State Government has ordered the closure of public and private schools in the state indefinitely .

This was announced in a press statement by the state ’ s Head of Public Affairs , Ministry of Education, Kayode Abayomi .

The statement was titled, ‘ Lagos directs students to stay at home ’ .

It quoted the Commissioner for Education, Mrs Folasade Adefisayo, as saying that the schools were shut down over “tension generated by the anti – SARS protests . ”

The statement read in part , “The Lagos State Government has directed all pupils /students in public and private schools to stay at home following the tension generated by the anti – SARS protests .

“ A new date of resumption for all classes will be announced as soon as possible . ”

Adefisayo added that “ the safety of the pupils /students , parents and all staff working in schools is paramount at this critical period ” .

She however advised parents to “ keep an eye on their wards and not allow them to be used as willing tools in the hands of those who might want to hijack the protests to unleash mayhem on the society” .

The Commissioner also encouraged schools to “ utilise other means of distance teaching and learning i . e radio, television and online media as they have been doing during and post the recent COVID- 19 lockdown ” .

Punch

The Federal Government has agreed to release N30 bn earned academic allowance to the university lecturers .

The money will be paid in tranches between May 2021 and February 2022 .

News correspondent gathered that the FG also promised to spend N20 bn on the revitalisation of the education sector as part of concessions meant to end the seven – month strike declared by the Academic Staff Union of Universities .

These were part of the agreements reached during the ongoing meeting between the FG and ASUU leadership .

Speaking earlier before going into a closed – door session , the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige , said students were being recruited into the # EndSARS protests following the closure of universities occasioned by the ASUU strike.

He expressed the hope that ASUU would call off the strike soon , noting that the government had been finding ways to end the seven – month strike .

The government team was led by Ngige , his minister of state , Festus Keyamo ( SAN ) , and others, while the ASUU delegation was led by its President , Prof . Biodun Ogunyemi .

Ngige said , “ For the past one week, we have all been on our toes; we have been meeting and we pray that this meeting will yield some good fruits.

Punch

An ad hoc committee set up by the House of Representatives on the ongoing nationwide protests against the Special Anti- Robbery Squad of the Nigeria Police Force , has summoned the Inspector – General of Police , Mohammed Adamu .

The IGP is to appear before the special panel on October 22 , 2020 .

The panel, which is made up of the House Committees on Justice, Human Rights and Police Affairs , will also conduct town hall meetings across the country to hear from Nigerians on the matter .

Chairman of the joint committee , Ugonna Ozurigbo, while addressing journalists in Abuja , said , “ It is important to note at this juncture , bearing in mind the urgency of the matter at hand, that the joint committee has swung into action to carry out its mandate by taking the following actions : “Invited the Inspector General of police to appear before it on Thursday , 22 October , 2020 .

“ Preparing to conduct public hearings in the six geopolitical zones of the country. Details of this shall be made available to the general public .

“ Created dedicated WhatsApp platforms – 09130248644 , 09075619076 ; and email –
nass. policeinvestigation @ gmail . com – for victims of police brutality , families of deceased victims and victims that are unlawfully detained by the operatives of the defunct SARS, to furnish the committee with information that would enable it carry out this all- important task . ”

Punch