Let’s De - Escalate Violence, Retreat To Re – Strategize, Lagos Indigenous Students Urge Youths -

Wale Jagun

The Lagos State Indigenous Students’ Association has paid tributes to youths that fell victims of the#EndSARS Protest in the state while also calling on young Nigerians seeking for good governance to retreat and restrategize for better results.

The association also called for a thorough probe into the Lekki Tollgate Plaza unfortunate incident where soldiers allegedly opened fire on peaceful protesters.

In a joint statement signed by the leadership of the students’ association and sent to THE IMPACT early today (Thursday), they appealed to aggrieved youths in the state to stay calm and stop destroying and burning public and private properties across the state.

The release is reproduced below:

“A JOINT PRESS RELEASE BY LAGOS STATE INDIGENOUS STUDENTS ASSOCIATION IN COMMISERATION WITH OUR FALLEN HEROES

“We, the Indigenous Students of Lagos State, condemn in totality the use of unnecessary FORCE on peaceful protesters in the state.

“We show solidarity and also enjoin viva voce with the protesters (and their demands) across different parts of the states because the majority of us are youths.

“The protest remains very important at this time as for all times as there is no recommended time to demand for better leadership and good governance for our dear country, Nigeria.

“The government has many times tagged the hoodlums disturbing the state as protesters. We rather recommend that the government make proper investigation into the furore that is burning the nation in its scrotum, as we remain resolute that the protesters are peaceful people.

“The unfortunate incident at Lekki makes one ask: Why the show of force by the Military?, Why the downpour of shrapnels on people with the Nigeria Flag chorusing the nation’s national anthem, for whom you have sworn to ‘uphold her honour and glory’ , the same Nigerian flag you have desecrated with your bullets and blood of Nigerian Citizens?.

“This only flashes back to the colonial times when state forces were set up to be anti-people .

“According to some credible media outlets, it was said that the attack was led by one Brig. Gen F O Omata, hence, we insist that this be investigated and the truth be brought to fore.

“To the fallen heroes (our fallen heroes), we pray that your efforts shall not be in vain. May your gentle souls rest in perfect peace and your spirits avenge your death (without mincing words).

“It was indeed a Black Tuesday (20 – 10 – 20) in Lagos, the tears have not stopped flowing.

“We plead with our brothers and sisters who are angered to please de-escalate, retreat to re-strategize and PLEASE, put a stop to the destruction of State Properties.

“We want to remind us all that these properties were not built with politicians’ money but our hard earned taxes and state resources.

“As it is, Lagos stands as the fifth largest economy in Africa and the destruction of the State’s properties will only bring the state economy ruin, thereby, doing the bidding of some enemies (local and international) who want the country to deteriorate more, will benefit no one.

“We have also studied how innocents have suffered for the sins of our leaders, some residential houses have been engulfed by flame while the innocents were held in flames. Workers in these affected buildings, whose sin is only to go out to make ends meet, were made victims of circumstance.

“We, hereby, appeal to our brothers and sisters, the best generation of youths in the history of this country who stood their grounds regardless of the attacks, to please desist from further destruction of state properties. The properties remain ours. WE ARE THE GOVERNMENT, WE PAID FOR THEM.

“We also use this avenue to call on the state government to take responsibility for the occurrence as we believe that the curfew declared led to those attacks on our fellows by people who care less about the destruction that is being repleted everywhere in the state.