AGNES NWORIE, ABAKALIKI
GOVERNOR David Umahi of Ebonyi State has addressed the #EndSARS protesters’ demands in the state after three days of highly mobilised peaceful protests.
The protesters who besieged the Ebonyi State Government House between 10am and 4pm, had always wanted to be addressed by the Governor.
They demanded in-depth investigation into the activities of the Police, especially in the Ekeaba Division, Abakaliki Local Government Council of the state, and called for prosecution of offenders.
They also called for the release of all illegally detained persons in police cells across the state.
The protesters, seen with placards with various inscriptions, chanted various solidarity songs against President Muhammadu Buhari.
Umahi, who promised that Ebonyi State Government would compensate families of victims of police brutality, added that the state government would collaborate with the National Human Rights Commission to end police brutality.
The Chairman of the Southeast Governors Forum also mandated all tertiary institutions in the state to resume effective teaching and learning on Wednesday, October 21, threatening that the state government would sack all lecturers and workers who disobeyed the directive.
The Governor promised to synergise with the Police and Army to dismantle all road blocks in the state and advised people to resist extortion by calling him through the personal phone number he announced.
“We shall establish an eight-man judicial panel of investigation, victims’ support fund, special security and human rights committee and human rights complaints office,” Governor Umahi stated.