Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has declared a 24-hour curfew in every part of the state due to the ongoing #EndSARS protests. In a statement released today, he said:
“I have watched with shock how what began as a peaceful #EndSARS protest has urfewdegenerated into a monster that is threatening the well-being of our society,”nder 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 4pm today, 20th October,2020. Nobody, except essential service providers and first responders must be found on the streets.”
The #EndSARS protest has been going on for close to a week. Now it has currently taken a different turn as hoodlums have hijacked the protests and put the lives of protesters at risk. On Monday, there was chaos in Edo state after thugs hijacked the protest and attacked some of the protesters. This led to the Edo state imposing a 24-hour-curfew just like Lagos.
This move has led to diverse reactions on social media, below are some:
The government, the sick system, how can you announce a curfew when people are already out? What happens to those who can't get home before 4? You'll give power back to the police we are fighting against? Make it make sense #EndSARS
— Toke Makinwa (@tokstarr) October 20, 2020
https://twitter.com/Onlyfederal/status/1318536543854825477
https://twitter.com/Elcrucifixio/status/1318536991617798145
Gosh, I worry for any arrested persons our lawyers would not be able to reach in Lagos because of the curfew.
Everyone please be safe as you head home immediately.— Moe (@Mochievous) October 20, 2020
It’s funny how the protests got “violent” yesterday and there’s a 24hour Ban but the police and SARS have been killing , extorting , kidnapping innocent citizens for many years and we get nothing ?? #endsars
— Kaylah (@KaylahOniwo) October 20, 2020
So by 4pm, the people stuck in traffic from work, anything they see, they should take it like that abi?#EndSARS still.
— The (@DamiElebe) October 20, 2020
24-hour curfew in Lagos State.
24-hour curfew in Edo State.
Army allegedly sent out to the streets in Ekiti (Allegedly because I have seen just one video, I wasn’t there & cannot confirm).
What’s next? Where do young people want to go from here?#EndSARS #EndPoliceBrutality
— Dr. Dípò Awójídé (@OgbeniDipo) October 20, 2020
This is the traffic that people are sitting in throughout Lagos. It’s currently 1:13pm. How will someone going from Ajah to Ikeja get home before 4pm. What sort of wickedness is this#EndSARS #EndBadGoveranceInNigeria pic.twitter.com/Yye7yDx3Vu
— $ZFA (@ZainabAyee) October 20, 2020