BREAKING: Edo #EndSARS Protest Escalates As Hoodlums Set Police Station Ablaze

The week-long protest by youths in Nigeria over police brutality, extortion, which had forced #EndSARS, #Endpolicebrutality’s hashtag, and mass action against bad governance, on Monday, escalated to a new phase in Benin, Edo state capital.

BIGPEN reports that the protest which has since been hijacked by hoodlums turned violence with youths breaking into the Benin Correctional Centre as well as a police station in the metropolis.

Inmates of the correctional centre were set freed in their large numbers.

Eyewitness said that the mobs later moved to Ugbekun police station at Upper Sakponba road, freed the suspects in the police cell and set it ablaze.

Meanwhile, following the melee and chaos arising from the #EndSARS protest, the Edo state Governor, Godwin Obaseki, Monday, declared a 24-hour curfew in the state.

The governor announced this in a statement by Osarodion Ogie Esq. Secretary to the State Government.

“The Edo State Government hereby imposes a 24-hour curfew across the state till further notice. The curfew is to take effect from 4pm, today, October 19, 2020.

“This decision has become necessary because of the very disturbing incidents of vandalism and attacks on private individuals and institutions by hoodlums in the guise of #EndSARS protesters”, the statement said.

Nigeria has been boiling for weeks after youths took to the streets nationwide to protest all forms of police brutality and killings, extortions, calling for justice for victims and the resignation of President Muhammadu Buhari over rising cases of killings, kidnappings and general insecurity in the country.