Enugu – The South East Human Rights Situation Room has appealed to the protesting youth in the zone to sheath their swords and embrace peace and dialogue.
The group made the appeal in a statement signed by more than 20 members of the coalition and issued in Enugu on Friday.
“It is time to call our youths to sheath the sword and get to the dialogue table. That is what can solve this problem, and not destruction of lives and property. We should all rise for peaceful resolution.
“We are disturbed by the rate of protests, killings and destruction of property in the South-East zone, particularly in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states.
“The zone has been overwhelmed by hoodlums, under the guise of protesting. What have we gained from the protests other than destruction of our own property and our age-long monuments?
“Virtually all parts of the zone have been shut down, following the activities of hoodlums, who have hidden under the banner of #EndSARS to unleash mayhem on the citizens.
“Several structures put in place by the government and banks have been destroyed by these rampaging youth.
“Let the protesters hand down their tools or we shall experience more deaths of our youths. We need peace; we need dialogue,” the group said.
They, however, urged governments at all levels to dialogue and negotiate with the youth, especially on ways of ending police brutality in the country.
