The body of Catholic Bishops in Nigeria have thrown their weight behind the ongoing protest against police brutality in the country.
In a statement signed by the president Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), Augustine Akubeze, the Bishops stated that the protest by the youths was justified.
The statement reads: “The Bishops said the youths are avowing their lawful right by demanding for justice and peace for all from “extra-judicial killings, unlawful arrests, profiling of youths as criminals, the invasion of youths’ privacy by searching phones and laptops without any warrant or any just cause, and the incarceration of many of the youths in the SARS custody without trial.
“EndSARS goes beyond the SARS and it is morally justified. We support the youths who have taken this step and we caution that they are allowed without any intimidation to exercise their right to peaceful demonstration and should not be provoked or incited to violence,” CBCN said.
The statement also condemned the setting up of Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) to replace the SARS, saying that “setting up a new outfit shows poor judgment on the part of the Federal Government”.
The bishops accused the government of “either not willing to allow peace and justice prevail, or totally lack understanding of the enormous problems at hand.”
