Members of the House of Repre- sentatives from the South – West have warned Nigerians from other geopolitical zones against turning the South -West , especially Lagos State , into a battleground over the ongoing
EndSARS protests , which have been allegedly hijacked by hoodlums .
The South – West caucus , at a press conference in Abuja on Friday, condemned the attacks on places of Yoruba heritage , as well as businesses and assets belonging to leaders in the geopolitical zone .
Leader of the caucus , Mr Femi Fakeye , who was accompanied by lawmakers from the South -West states , said , “ We appeal to all Nigerians at this point not to turn the South -West into a battleground . There are those who are not from the South -West. Yes , it is one Nigeria but everybody knows where they come from.
“ We don ’ t want the South -West, particularly Lagos , which is accommodating to everybody and anybody , to be turned into a battleground by those who will not consider themselves stakeholders. We are stakeholders from the South -West. We don’ t want the South -West to burn . This is not 1964 to 1965 – the days of ‘ Wetie. ’
“ We don’ t want anything like that. We admonish our youths to eschew violence and further civil unrest . We want the youth to come back home, sit down and have a rethink, and get out of the mindset of violence; we don’t want any further violence. We want the youth to , please , sheathe their swords, stay home and stay calm . ”
According to him , the point of the protest has been made as the statement of the protesters has been heard clearly , not only in Nigeria but across the globe.
Suspected hoodlums had attacked several places in Oyo and Lagos states , as well as businesses allegedly linked to a former Governor of Lagos and national leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, among others .
Fakeye said the caucus commiserated with the families who had lost their loved ones , as well as those injured or victimised .
The caucus also appealed to the Federal Government to fast -track implementation of all outlined programmes for youth employment, empowerment and the most vulnerable citizens of the country .
It further expressed support for the Speaker of the House of Representatives , Femi Gbajabiamila, with regard to the proposal to pay compensation to all victims of SARS brutality .
The lawmakers stated , “ We , as a caucus , affirm the inalienable rights of all Nigerian citizens to peaceful protests. So , to those who have engaged in peaceful protests, it is appropriate and recognised all over the world .
“ We condemn the attack on critical infrastructure and other investments in Lagos and other locations in the South -West . Some of those things have been there before people like us were born. So , it pains us to the bone to see that people would now set them on fire and burn them to ashes . It is very wrong and we condemn it.
“ We condemn , in very strong and unequivocal terms , the desecration of Yoruba culture and the cultural heritage of the South – West through the unnecessary and unprovoked attacks on different places of our cultural heritage , in particular the palaces of the Oba of Lagos , the Soun of Ogbomoso and other eminent Yoruba cultural leaders . ”
They also decried that some political leaders had been assaulted and their investments destroyed, saying , “ We don’ t like that . We want the whole world to know that we object to and condemn that. ”
