BY FOLASHADE KEHINDE
… tells Buhari to stop violent crackdown
FORMER United States Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate, Joe Biden, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to stop the ongoing violent crackdown on protesters in the country.
He also urged the United States to “stand with Nigerians who are peacefully demonstrating for police reform and seeking an end to corruption in their democracy.”
His statement came hours after Hillary Clinton, former US Secretary of States, told the Nigerian authorities to “stop killing” those protesting against police brutality in the country.
Biden said, “I urge President Buhari and the Nigerian military to cease the violent crackdown on protesters in Nigeria, which has already resulted in several deaths.
“I encourage the government to engage in a good-faith dialogue with civil society to address these long-standing grievances and work together for a more just and inclusive Nigeria.
“My heart goes out to all those who have lost a loved one in the violence.”
The #EndSARS protests had turned bloody in Lagos on Tuesday as security operatives fired gunshots sporadically at the Lekki Tollgate on Tuesday night.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had imposed a 24-hour curfew from 4pm on Tuesday in view of the violent turn the protests had taken in the state.
The protesters at Lekki, however, defied the curfew and remained on the protest ground.
Several persons have been reportedly killed while many other sustained injuries.
But Sanwo-Olu said on Wednesday that no fatalities were recorded.
The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, had on Tuesday deployed anti-riot policemen nationwide to address the crisis that emanated from the protests.
