EndSARS: Protesters In New York Demand Transparency In SARS Disbandment.

Hundreds of young anti-SARS protesters on Sunday stormed the Nigeria House in New York demanding transparency in the disbandment of the police unit back home.

Among them was Stephen “Papi” Ojo, the artist, model and choreographer who stole the show as the ‘blue-guy’ in Beyoncé’s “Already” music video.
The protest started shortly after the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, announced the dissolution of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (F-SARS),

*Adamu also announced plans for a new arrangement to address anticipated policing gaps following the disbandment, and the constitution of an investigative team to probe the alleged cases of rights violations, among others.

But the protesters, who bore placards with different inscriptions including, “We no want audio ban”, said they were not buying it.
They argued that previous commitments announced by the force to change the behaviour of SARS operatives and other personnel had no effect.

“We are not buying that because they told us in 2017 that SARS had been banned from a lot of things, but they continued,” said Miss Omobolanle Adams, of the protest organisers.

“We don’t want back-door politics, we don’t want back-door negotiations.

“We want President Muhammadu Buhari to speak directly to us. We want justice for people that were murdered, raped and assaulted.

“We want the SARS operatives responsible brought to book and at the end of the day, we don’t want them redeployed to other units. We want them gone,” she said.

In a series of tweets on Friday, the president assured Nigerians of his determination to end police brutality and bring “erring personnel to justice”.
Buhari said his administration’s “determination to reform the police should never be in doubt”, and sued for calm.

He blamed the bad reputation of SARS on some bad apples, noting that most police officers were committed to protecting Nigerians.

Another leader of the protest, Peter Johnson, reiterated that there was no transparency in the reported dissolution of the outfit

“They gave us a very generic message. I, personally, feel like we need to see actual results.
“We need to see a plan of where the operatives are going because people are still going to die,” he said.

Addressing other protesters, ‘Papi’ Ojo said he relocated to the U.S. at the age of 11 and was afraid to visit home because he had lost two uncles to SARS.
However, the 23-year-old said the unity and courage displayed by Nigerians in the protest had given him the strength to return and make a change.

“As I speak, I am still afraid, but I can’t keep living in fear any more because I have relations back home calling me to help.

“So, I am begging everyone here that is afraid like me to stand up and help in whatever way we can to effect the desired change back home,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some of the protesters took turns to narrate their personal experiences or those of their family members in the hands of SARS.
Being Sunday, the consulate was closed and no official was around to address the protesters.

The Consul General of Nigeria in New York, Mr Benaoyagha Okoyen, did not answer the phone when NAN called to get his comments.

He had also not replied text messages sent to him as of the time of filing this report.

#nairaland

We Will Soon Expose Those Feeding Fat On IPPIS, Says ASUU

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has said it will soon expose those feeding fat on the adoption of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System, IPPIS, by the Federal Government as its payment platform.

This is just as the union alleged that some people in the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation are subverting its efforts to reach an understanding with the Federal Government on the controversial payment system.

The National President of ASUU, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, stated this on Sunday in an interview with Vanguard.

Ogunyemi, who was reacting to a memo from the office of the AGF that any federal worker not yet captured on the IPPIS platform would not be paid salary as from November this year, noted that such a memo was not binding on his members.

“All the agreements we have been having since 1992 with the government have always been having the provision that circulars emanating from the civil service which don’t have origin in collective bargaining with the government won’t be binding on us.

“Circulars that will be binding on us are those coming out of our negotiation with the government like what we had in autonomy for university, retirement age and others. They can be respected because they are products of collective bargaining,” he said.

On why the union would not accept IPPIS, the ASUU boss explained that there was a meeting with the government where it was agreed that if ASUU could develop a better alternative to IPPIS, such an alternative would be adopted.

“Based on that, our members started work on the University Transparency and Accountability System, UTAS, and in the presence of the Minister, the Permanent Secretary and the leadership of the National Universities Commission, NUC, we demonstrated its use.

“IPPIS was not part of the reasons we went on strike early March this year. Now, it is clear that some elements who are benefiting from it and who do not want a better platform, brought IPPIS matter up and we are going to expose them soon. Now, our members are being owed between three and eight months salaries. We know some people deliberately withheld the salaries. Nigerians should ask them why they are doing that,” he stated.

Meanwhile, feelers from federal universities in some parts of the country indicate that government’s directive that schools should start resuming from Monday, October 12, may not hold water.

This is because the ongoing strike by ASUU and the 14 days warning strike by the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, and the Non-Academic Staff Union. NASU, may stall that.Ogunyemi, while commenting on the development, urged Nigerians to understand what his union is fighting for.

“I have two children in public universities and so I am affected too. However, what we want is that our children should have access to sound and quality education. We don’t want what has been done to public primary and secondary schools to happen to our universities. Our products must be able to compete favourably in the global market,” he said.

Even when universities eventually resume, some may scrap one academic session.

For instance, first year students of the University of Ibadan admitted for the 2019/2020 session are yet to begin classes before schools were closed due to the outbreak of Coronavirus disease in the country.

Those to be admitted for 2020/2021 session are waiting in the wings for their admission.

In a related development, some Federal Polytechnics may open soon but strike notice by teaching and non-teaching staff may later be a hindrance.

#vanguard

FG Blackmailing University Workers Into Enrolling On IPPIS –ASUU

The Academic Staff Union of Universities has described the directive stopping the salaries of university employees , who have not enrolled on the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System, as blackmail to weaken workers and make them enroll on the platform .

The Chairman of the University of Port Harcourt Branch of ASUU , Dr Austen Sado , who spoke on Sunday , explained that though some of his colleagues had not been paid salaries since February , the union would not be cowed into enrolling on IPPIS .

Sado , who spoke on the telephone , said , “ It ( directive to stop salaries ) clearly shows that there is something the Federal Government is not telling the people. They are not paying us ( some lecturers) . So, why are they saying by November ?

“What they are doing now is just blackmail and threat to see how they would weaken our members to go and enroll ( on IPPIS ) . People who have not enrolled are not being paid ; some people for eight months , some for three , going to four months . I have not been paid salary since July , while some people have not been paid since February.

“They have not paid us because of IPPIS . A few of the people that registered with IPPIS are being paid . But when they pay them , they don ’t even get the full complement of their salaries; some of them claim that they get like N 50 , 000 , N 60 , 000 , and we are talking about senior lecturers and above.

“A professor told me that what he is getting is N 100, 000 ( as monthly salary ) and yet they want to put more people into that . But we have resolved that we will not succumb to this blackmail.”

#nairaland

EndSARS: Oshoala Complains About Attempts To Hack Her Twitter Account

Asisat Oshoala has complained that people are trying to hack her Twitter account. Other supporters of the End SARS campaign have also complained that people have tried to havk their accounts. She tweeted:


ASISAT M.O.N @AsisatOshoala

Abeg who me and am open this twitter account together wey Dey try change my password ? Shey e fe shoribu sha ? I’m just asking ni o , mi o shepe

........ LEAVE MY ACCOUNT ALONE !!! #endpolicebrutality

https://mobile.twitter.com/Asi....satOshoala/status/13


Meanwhile, she wore an End SARS shirt beneath her jersey yesterday and although she didn't score, she revealed the shirt at the Johan Cruyff Stadium in a thank you message to End SARS supporters.

#twiiter

EndSARS: The Moment Davido Knelt Down With His Hands Up In Abuja (Photos)

No matter what you do in life, don't forget you can never please everyone. I saw everything Davido did from the begining to the end cry I don't think some of us that are born poor can do that.

He was inside the rain

He was inside the sun

Davido knelt and begged, Davido walked towards armed mehn with his hands in the air, Davido took a huge risk, Davido did it!!!!!!!

Davido said "Amidst it all. We must not forget the reasons we are protesting, we must not forget the peaceful manner of the protests and we must most certainly not back down until our demands are met! Sars ending is a great start but the task is far from completed!

EndSARS: The Moment Davido Knelt Down With His Hands Up In Abuja (Photos)

No matter what you do in life, don't forget you can never please everyone. I saw everything Davido did from the begining to the end cry I don't think some of us that are born poor can do that.

He was inside the rain

He was inside the sun

Davido knelt and begged, Davido walked towards armed mehn with his hands in the air, Davido took a huge risk, Davido did it!!!!!!!

Davido said "Amidst it all. We must not forget the reasons we are protesting, we must not forget the peaceful manner of the protests and we must most certainly not back down until our demands are met! Sars ending is a great start but the task is far from completed!

EndSARS: The Moment Davido Knelt Down With His Hands Up In Abuja (Photos)

No matter what you do in life, don't forget you can never please everyone. I saw everything Davido did from the begining to the end cry I don't think some of us that are born poor can do that.

He was inside the rain

He was inside the sun

Davido knelt and begged, Davido walked towards armed mehn with his hands in the air, Davido took a huge risk, Davido did it!!!!!!!

Davido said "Amidst it all. We must not forget the reasons we are protesting, we must not forget the peaceful manner of the protests and we must most certainly not back down until our demands are met! Sars ending is a great start but the task is far from completed!

Banky W: Ending SARS Is Just Step 1

BANKY-W finally speaks during an interview with a reporter with his words "ENDING SARS IS JUST STEP 1" at the #ENDSARS PROTEST

Police Break The Head Of Arise TV Cameraman, Hours After The End Of SARS

Barely five hours after the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, dissolved the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), men of the Nigeria Police force assaulted Francis Ogbonna, AriseTV Cameraman.

Disclosing this via a video clip, Ferdinand Duruoha, a reporter with Arise TV condemned the incident, noting that Francis head was broken by the officers who attacked them.

IGP had dissolved the unit of the force, following reports that some elements in the force, use their positions to commit various crimes.

Nigerian youths with Francis inclusive, have expressed happiness over the disbandment of SARS. Some had gone to the micro-blogging sites, (Facebook, Twitter) to appreciate the kind gesture of President Muhammadu Buhari.

However, their happiness was cut short when Police officers attacked and brutalized Francis hours after SARS disbandment.

Narrating the ordeal Duruoha said: “We took the IG’s message live on Twitter banning SARS, and on returning from that particular interview, we saw some youth along the road, protesting.

“While we were trying to speak to them and get their takes on the IG’s message, we were attacked by policemen who have brutally assaulted Francis and broke his camera and Arise news camera.

“This is the result of that brutalisation. I am about taking him to the hospital but then we just need to get this as a sign of evidence of what the police have done.”

#nairaland

Aisha Yesufu & EndSARS: History Will Be Kind To This Woman In End SARS Campaign

This woman Aisha Yesufu and many other women REPRESENT all shades of courage. History will be kind to her when her actions are written on the checkered pavements of mortals.

While many cared less, many others jumped into the #endsarsnow campaign because they like trends. Either ways its appreciated. This woman has never been silent from day one. She supported this government to power but has never stop lashing out at them and done everything to hold the government accountable. she has stood her ground at all times. Cowards die many times before their time but Aisha is far from being a coward. She is a patriot.

She was called unprintable names by agents of evil and Detractors. She kept moving. Today I celebrate her for her COURAGE, TEMERITY, VALOUR, INTREPIDNESS, PLUCK AND AUDACITY. I also celebrate her husband for allowing her be her. Her husband deserves some accolades and men must learn from him on what it means to allow women chase their dreams. We celebrate Runtown for setting the pace in Lagos before other celebrities followed. Dr Dipo Awojide and Wizkid held sway in London. Davido flew down to Abuja to join. The campaign travelled round the globe and Nigeria was on the news till the pressure built up.

The precedent has been set and we shall not look back.

Police has no right to slap you, search your phone or call you criminal. That's the duty of the court. Our live matters. Well done to all who participated online or offline to #endsars.

#nairaland