ENDSARS protesters.
The Society for Neighbourhood Peace and Development, SONPED, has urged the #EndSARS protesters to embrace peace for meaningful development.
Speaking during a briefing in Lagos, Executive Director, SONPED, George Utomhim, said any country without peace and stability cannot achieve any meaningful development.
He said: “As it becomes obvious that we must, as a people, continuously advocate good reform of the country in all aspect of our social, political and economic lives as a people, we should, as a matter of fact, exercise these agitations in a non-violent and peaceful manner, where our cause of action will be the unity of Nigeria.”
Utomhim further stated that the protesters must understand the concept of true peace and stability in the present agitation for a better policing system and good governance, as it is the fundamental framework of whatever change they seek in government.
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Appealing to government to take the protesters more seriously as it is only non-violence, peaceful protest, he said the protest can serve as a great feedback mechanism for the government and governance.
He urge the protesters to withdraw from the street and continue, in a peaceful manner, their agitation for change in community and town hall meetings where it will be all involving, negotiating and would create a good platform to dialogue and engage the government for meaningful and all-encompassing change that they seek.
He appeals to the National Youth Council of Nigeria, traditional institutions, parents and other critical stakeholders, to quickly activate, jointly, a framework to prevail on the youths to stop the carnage and give government a chance to address their requests.
He added that as a people, we must strengthen the universal relevance of the principle of non-violence and a very strong desire to secure a culture of peace, tolerance and understanding.
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