The ongoing #EndSARS protests in different parts of the country escalated on Tuesday after some police stations were burnt and property destroyed.

While hoodlums who invaded the protest grounds were blamed for some of the destruction, some protesters were also reported to have reacted after security agents killed some youths.

Governors in Lagos, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti, Abia, Plateau states declared curfew to forestall continued breakdown of law and order.

In Lagos, four police stations were reported to have been burnt.

According to the police, the affected stations are the Orile Police Station, Layeni Police Station, Amukoko Police Station and Cele outpost.

The Mushin and Ilemba Hausa police divisions were reportedly attacked.

Flavision learnt that the protesters were chanting #EndSARS at the Orile Police Station when the Divisional Police Officer and her officers allegedly opened fire on the protesters, killing one person in the process.

Enraged by the development, it was gathered that a clash occurred between the protesters, including hoodlums, and policemen attached to the division.

During the attack, the station was set ablaze.

One Bolaji, who witnessed the incident, accused the DPO of pulling the trigger that killed the protester, adding that two stations were burnt due to the incident.

In Abuja, suspected miscreants reportedly set ablaze the Dutse Makaranta Police Station, Kubwa, during a clash with security operatives.

The station and a church were said to have been razed, leading to the death of two persons, while one person was injured.

Our correspondents also learnt that armed soldiers dispersed some protesting youths at Sokale, Dutsen Alhaji, and the FO1 area of Kubwa on Tuesday morning.

The troops were said to have shot into the air to disperse the #EndSARS demonstrators, who had gathered to begin the day’s protest.

While passersby scampered for safety, residents who were still in their homes immediately shut their doors.

Motorists and commuters on the Bwari-Dutse Alhaji road were stranded in the ensuing traffic jam.

The protesters had erected a barricade at the Sokale Roundabout and Winners Road in preparation for the rally when the security operatives aborted their protest.

Meanwhile, a video posted on Twitter revealed the moment a suspected security agent carried hoodlums in his sport utility vehicle to the venue of the Abuja protest.

Youths, Pro-SARS protesters clash in Nasarawa

Scores of #EndSARS protesters in the early hours of Tuesday converged on the Jos/Makurdi Road of Lafia Local Government Area of Nasarawa State to peacefully demonstrate against police brutality.

The protest, which started around 6.30am along the Federal Highway/Jos/Makurdi down to UAC road, ended at the Government House along Shendem/Assakio/Akuruba Road around 12.30pm.

One of our correspondents, who went round Lafia metropolitan city to monitor the peaceful protest, observed that the angry protesters carried placards with different inscriptions, including, ‘Since 1960 dem day do us wayo,’ ‘Old men no wan step down,’ ‘Please don’t shoot.’

The leader of the protesters, Emmanuel Kuza, said they were at the government house to submit a letter to the governor.

Reporters, protesters beaten in Gombe

Some youths who gathered under the aegis of the #EndSARS movement on Tuesday were dispersed by hoodlums at the Rainbow Roundabout, leading to Bauchi Road. Protesters and journalists covering the demonstration were injured.

The hoodlums, who outnumbered the protesters, kept chanting, ‘This is Gombe’.

Among those injured were a cameraman with NTA and a correspondent with The Nation Newspaper, Sola Shittu.

Armed hunters secure Osun protesters

Scores of armed hunters on Tuesday joined the #EndSARS protesters to provide security cover and prevent the infiltration of hoodlums and thugs.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the hunters, who also wore charms, expressed their solidarity with the protesters.

The leader of the hunters, Mr Nureni Adisa, who spoke at the popular Orita-Olaiya Junction in Osogbo, said their aim was to ensure that the protest was not hijacked by hoodlums and to also prevent any loss of lives and property.

Bayelsa protesters carry mock coffin

The #EndSARS protest continued in Bayelsa State on Tuesday as youths marched through the streets of Yenagoa with a coffin painted in the green-white-green colours of the Nigerian flag.

The youths also blocked the popular Opolo Roundabout along the Isaac Boro Expressway.

They barricaded the AIT-Elebele Road linking the expressway with a canopy and prevented movement of vehicles.

The road also houses the Nigerian Air Force Base and 16 Brigade of the Nigerian Army headquarters, as well as leads to communities in Ogbia and Nembe local government areas.

Enugu protesters ground traffic

Youths participating in the #EndSARS protest on Tuesday grounded Enugu, the state capital, as motorists were prevented from getting to their destination on time.

The protesters also planned a candlelight procession at both the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium (Tuesday) and Michael Okpara Square (Wednesday).

The youth, who took off at Okpara Square, Independence Layout, caused gridlock and forced motorists to either make a detour or wait in the traffic for hours.

Youths shut down Jos trade fair

The 2020 trade fair taking place at the Polo Ground, along Goodluck Ebele Jonathan Highway was declared open by the state Governor, Simon Lalong, on Monday.

When our correspondent visited the Trade Fair arena on Tuesday, the two gates leading to the premises were under lock and key, with a handful of security agents manning the entrance.

A peep into the trade fair premises revealed that the giant stands earlier mounted by different exhibitors and visitors to the fair in anticipation of a robust business had been deserted

#EndSARS, Pro-SARS groups protest in Rivers

Thousands of youths supporting President Muhammadu Buhari and scores of others calling for an end to police brutality staged multiple protests in different parts of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, bringing social and economic activities to a standstill.

Another group of protesters, led by the chairman of a civil society group, Enefaa Georgewill, called for reform of the justice system.

Six governors declare curfew

The Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Tuesday, declared a 24-hour curfew in the state.

He said the decision was taken after watching with shock how

what began as a peaceful #EndSARS protest degenerated into a monster that is threatening the well-being of our society.

Lives and limbs have been lost, as criminals and miscreants are now hiding under the umbrella of these protests to unleash mayhem on our state,

he added in a statement on Twitter.

According to him, the curfew would start from 4pm on Tuesday and end 4pm on Wednesday.

The starting time was later changed to 9pm, in another statement citing the traffic challenge in the state.

The Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, also imposed a 24-hour curfew on his state beginning from Tuesday.

He said the development was to protect the lives and property of residents.

The government said during the curfew, there would be no movement except those on essential duties who would be permitted to move around.

The state curfew started 11.59pm on Tuesday.

The Ondo State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, also imposed a curfew for 24hours in the state.

The governor made the announcement in his address delivered in a statewide broadcast on Tuesday following the protest that paralysed the vehicular movement in major towns in the state.

According to him, the curfew would commence at 12 midnight on Tuesday until further notice.

The Abia State Government on Tuesday imposed a 14-hour curfew in the state, especially Umuahia and Aba.

A press release by the state Commissioner for Information, Chief John Okiyi Kalu, said the 24-hour curfew on Aba and Umuahia would start from 6pm today (Tuesday) till further notice.

The governor was said to have also approved a cash reward of N5m for anyone who could provide information leading to the arrest of some hoodlums and armed cultists who wreaked havoc in the state.

This is in addition to the approval of a reward of N1m for each authentic video evidence on brutality and extrajudicial killings by security agents in the state,

the statement added.

The Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong, also imposed a dusk to dawn curfew in the Jos North and Jos South local government areas of the state.

He announced the curfew in an address to the people of the state on Tuesday.

Lalong said the curfew, which would begin from 8pm on Tuesday, would be in place until further notice following a breakdown of law and order in the two affected council areas.

The governor said security agencies had been directed to ensure that the curfew was enforced as defaulters would be arrested and prosecuted.

The Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, also imposed a 24-hour curfew on the state effective from 10pm on Tuesday.

Fayemi said the curfew followed growing on concern how the #EndSARS protest, which started as a peaceful demonstration against the police was hijacked by some hoodlums.

He said,

The hoodlums have capitalised on the #EndSARS protest to rape, assault, rob and extort money from innocent citizens across the state. These are in addition to the wanton destruction of properties, particularly private properties.

Hoodlums, residents loot Customs Benin warehouse

Several items ranging from foodstuffs and other valuables were on Tuesday carted away when hoodlums broke into the Nigerian Custom Service warehouse in Benin City, Edo State.

This prompted residents of the area to rush to the warehouse to also have their share of the goods, especially rice.

Residents were seen carting away what they could carry from the warehouse unhindered.

Security prevents arson by Ekiti hoodlums

Security agencies on Tuesday moved to prevent escalation of the violence that attended the #EndSARS protests on Monday night as hoodlums who hijacked the process embarked on destruction of vehicles.

Three articulated trucks were on Monday night set ablaze, while the windscreens of several cars were smashed between Fajuyi Park and Adebayo area of the capital city.

A truck conveying lager beer was looted and the bottles broken all over the road at the Dallimore intersection of Ado Ekiti.

Security agents, who intervened to disperse the hoodlums, also removed the barricades put on the roads.

The bus of the Correspondents’ Chapel of Nigeria Union of Journalists, Ekiti State Council, was not spared in the attack on Tuesday by the hoodlums, who wondered why journalists were on the roads, as they pelted the bus with stones at the Adebayo area of Ado Ekiti.

Ibadan youths block Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

Scores of youths on Tuesday poured out in some areas in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital and blocked the Ojoo end of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in continuation of the #EndSARS protest.

The expressway was barricaded where those travelling to Oyo town and the northern part of the country would pass to link the Ibadan-Ilorin road.

As early as 8:00 am, Flavision gathered that the protesters were out barricading roads at various junctions.

The barricade forced some vehicles to turn back to find alternative routes, but not quite long, as the protesters started blocking all the exit routes, which caused gridlock.

Some motorists parked their vehicles by the roadside out of frustration.

The youths also mounted roadblock in front of the police station in Ojoo, Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State.

Abiodun, Makinde, Akeredolu close schools

The Governor of Oyo State, Mr. Seyi Makinde, has ordered schools in the state to close for the rest of the week.

The governor, who gave this directive, also said the state government had deployed members of Operation Burst in hotspot areas in Ibadan, the state capital.

Members of Operation Burst are security personnel from various security agencies.

The governor took these steps following the attack on a police station in the Ojoo area of Ibadan, which reportedly led to the killing of some persons.

The governor said he deployed security personnel to protect the genuine #EndSARS protesters in the state and there was no attack against them since then.

His Ogun State counterpart, Dapo Abiodun, also announced the closure of schools in the state till Monday next week.

The governor also announced the banning of motorcycles within the period.

Abiodun spoke on Tuesday while addressing journalists at his Oke-Mosan office at Abeokuta.

The governor, who said he had held a meeting with security chiefs on the state of things, also forbade blocking of roads by protesters within the period.

He lamented the alleged killing of a Customs officer on Tuesday by the #EndSARS protesters in Owode-Idi-Iroko in Yewa-South Local Government Area of the state.

In Ondo State, Governor Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, directed all schools in the state to close down.

In a statement issued by the state Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mr Femi Agagu, on Tuesday, the governor said the directive was given for the safety of students who were just resuming schools.

Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Medical Sciences, Ondo, Ondo State, Prof. Adesegun Fatusi, announced the closure of the institution following an attack on one of its security workers during the protest in the town.

It was gathered that the shortly after the #EndSARS protest began on Tuesday, some suspected hoodlums allegedly beat up a security guard in the institution for preventing them from gaining entrance into the school premises.

Lekki toll plaza, three bank buildings burnt

The Lekki toll plaza and three bank buildings in the Lekki area of Lagos State, have been burnt.

The affected banks were identified as Polaris, GTB and Access Bank branches.

Our correspondents gathered that business premises, shopping malls and shops were also looted by hoodlums in the area.

The Acting General Manager of the Lagos State Fire Service, Margaret Adeseye, confirmed the incident on Tuesday, saying she was only aware of one bank.

She said,

The toll plaza, which is built on the Lekki-Ikoyi link bridge, is on fire. A first generation bank along the Admiralty Way leading to the bridge, is also on fire. But we can’t establish the cause of the fire incident. There is ongoing sporadic gunshots and unrest within that axis and the standard operating procedure is that we have to be safe before we can save lives. So, we are connecting with the police to determine when it is safe to move in.

Justin Nwosu

Justin Nwosu is the founder and publisher of Flavision. His core interest is in writing unbiased news about Nigeria in particular and Africa in general. He’s a strong adherent of investigative journalism, with a bent on exposing corruption, abuse of power and societal ills.