The hoodlums who have been thrown into the EndSARS protests mix by their sponsors to derail its mission may be succeeding as the Lagos State government has imposed a 24-hour lockdown on Lagos State beginning from 4pm on Tuesday.
Earlier on Tuesday, global human rights group, Amnesty International, have lamented that “thugs and sponsored hoodlums brandishing cutlass and knives have been attacking peaceful protesters across Nigeria.
“Death and severe injuries were recorded. Protest is not a crime and Nigerian authorities must protect protesters and all Nigerians.”
And to the protesters, Amnesty said: While organizing peaceful protests, authorities cannot intimidate you, try to use unnecessary or excessive force against you, or threaten you with either prosecution or detention. You have a right to organize without any fear.”
Sources said that those sympathetic to the government injected the hoodlums as part of the old playbook for dealing with protesters.
The government is expected to use the violence to be unleashed by the hoodlums as a reason to clampdown, impose curfew or even State of Emergency towards dispersing the protesters from the streets.
Nigerian have watched in horror as hoodlums have unleashed violence against EndSARS protesters, innocent Nigerians and their properties in Abuja, Lagos, Benin and other cities.
Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, in a statement on Tuesday 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 4pm today, 20th October, 2020. Nobody, except essential service providers and first responders must be found on the streets.”
This means that the protesters who have hitherto taken positions in strategic locations in the State will have to vacate and go home.
Since pro-SARS hoodlums were injected to disrupt the peaceful protests by the EndSARS groups, there has been widespread violence across the country.
On Monday, the hoodlums attacked protesters in in Benin before freeing inmates of Benin prisons and destroying police stations and freeing detainees. This led to the imposition of a 24-hour curfew on Edo State.
In Abuja, about six people died at the popular Apo Mechanic Village in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, following violent clashes between #EndSARS protesters and pro-SARS hoodlums. Houses, vehicles and shops were also set ablaze.
Even on Tuesday morning, irked by the state of devastation, there has been a revenge attack on the hoodlums in areas around the popular Apo market.
In Jos, capital of Plateau State, two have been killed in the clashes between the hoodlums and the protesters.