Akuffo Addo silence on Nigerian Brutality
The president of the Republic of Ghana, who doubles as the ECOWAS chairman, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has come under intense pressure from Ghanaians and some West African citizens for him to speak and let his voice be heard on the unfortunate alleged police brutalities going on in Nigeria.
The call became necessary when a peaceful protest by the youth of the country escalated yesterday with several reports suggesting indiscriminate shooting and killing of innocent protesters by the federal military of Nigerian.
The peaceful protests which began as a call for the government to disband a police unit known as Special Anti-Robbery Squad. (SARS). SARS was accused by the citizens of using illegal means of stopping, searching, harassing and killing innocent Nigerian youths all in the name of stopping armed robbery and fraud.
The citizens, which consist mainly the youth and lots of celebrities began the protests simultaneously across several states of the biggest oil producing country in Africa. By yesterday, the crowd had thickened and the government obviously stepped in with the armed military which is alleged to have used excessive force on the protesters injuring and killing some.
From the start of the protests through to yesterday, there has never been a whisper from the ECOWAS chairman on the happenings in his jurisdiction. People from the West African region have call on the President of Ghana and the ECOWAS leadership to put in their voices to what is happening in the giant of Africa before it degenerate into an uncontrollable mayhem.
The pressure on the ECOWAS chairman increased with yesterday’s incident at a place in Lagos called Lekki where the armed military engaged the protesters.
Some have reminded the President on how swift he rushes to comment on matters outside the continent of Africa, and yet, put a blind eye to the happenings in his own backyard.
They put out his solidarity message he sent to the Americans when George Floyd was killed in far away United States of America to call his attention to do the same to his people.
The silence of the ECOWAS chairman, Nana Akufo-Addo is deafening. His silence on the matter can not be fathomed.
Several Nigerians and Ghanaians including high profile musicians, broadcasters and actors have taken to twitter to express their misgivings over Mr Akufo-Addo’s long silence on the issues happening in the oil-producing West African nation.
