By Gabriel Ewepu

ABUJA – BARELY 72 hours to the nationwide protest for August 1, 2024, human rights activist and lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, Tuesday, demanded the Federal Government to avoid EndSARS experience by not drafting the Nigerian Army to the streets of Abuja and other cities during the peaceful protest.

This was contained in a letter addressed to the Chief of Army Staff, dated July 30,2024, with subject ‘Request to Restrict Men of the Nigerian Army to the Barracks During the Scheduled August 2024 National Protest’, by a law firm, Deji Adeyanju and Partners, and signed by Deji Adeyanju, ESQ, and made available to Vanguard.

According to Adeyanju, “We have just written to the Chief of Army Staff to ensure soldiers remain in the barracks during the protest to prevent a repeat of the killing of protesters like during EndSARS.”

The letter reads in full: “We write as a pro human rights law firm to draw your attention to the disturbing deployment of men of the Nigerian Army across the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, and other cities in an attempt to suppress the August 1, 2024 national protest.

“The task of providing internal security, including the protection of protesters during the scheduled protest, lies with the Nigerian Police Force and not the Nigerian Army. You may also recall that at all times when the armed forces intervened in any protest including the recent ongoing Kenya protest, such protest often escalates into full blown riot leading to loss of lives and property.

“It is on the premise of the foregoing we urge withdraw your men back to the barracks as we do not want a repeat of soldiers killing protesters as was witnessed during EndSARS.”