#EndSARS Lagos Protest Update: Protesters Set Fire on Ikoyi Correctional Facility and Loot Palliative Warehouse

Rampaging Protesters Set Fire on Ikoyi Prison and Loot Massive State Palliative Warehouse

ICMS, Inc. Reports 

By Tom Okure, Ph.D.

The protesting and rampaging youths are persistent and angry and still out in the streets of Lagos and seeking revenge on any symbols of government authority. Today they targeted the Ikoyi Correctional

facility and set buildings on fire. They also discovered a very large warehouse containing food palliatives that we presume was stored by the state government to be distributed to the public but is apparently still stored away for whatever reason. The warehouse is being looted and trashed as we write this report.  Lagos state government appears to be loosing control of the crisis situation with the youth. The curfew, and police water cannons etc. appears to be ineffective at deterring the determined youths from rampaging government facilities, looting and setting buildings on fire

 Despite the 72 hours curfew imposed by the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu which is still in effect, the youths have managed to defy the orders and are in the streets.

In addition to the warehouse looting today, the youths have attacked the Ikoyi Correctional facility and set the correctional facility buildings on fire as we are writing. Gunfire could be heard as large groups of invading youth forced their way into the facility premises. The prison staff does not appear to be able stop the hoodlums as the entered the facility in large unruly groups.   

Efforts of Lagos state to begin any type of meaningful dialogue with the angry youths also appears to be unsuccessful, in part because there is no recognizable leader among the angry youths that the government can talk to. The original peaceful protesting #EndSARS Youths appear to have been hijacked by hoodlums and criminal youth gangs in Lagos now determined to inflict as much destruction as possible on government facilities. 

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All rights reserved by Tom Okure, Ph.D CEO of Inter-Continental Mgt. Systems, Inc (or ICMS Inc). ICMS, Inc, is a multifaceted business and management consulting firm with its head office in Albany, New York.

The impact of Covid-19 virus pandemic lock down on the livelihood of the poor: The case of Nigeria’s Lagos State.

In the first video we see a woman warning the Lagos state government of a potential uprising of the poor masses in the slums of Lagos state due to hunger caused by the corona virus lock-down. She complains of insufficient planning, food and palliative support for the poor families in Lagos state.

She states that the poor especially the youth are becoming reckless with the potential of a rebellion brewing among the masses due to the suffering caused by the lock down.

She advises the government to send government officials to talk to the people to determine what they need and to defuse the anger of the masses under the difficult circumstances of the lock-down.

In the second video we see that the Covid-19 lock down is especially devastating to the welfare of poor who survive on a daily wage from trading and other menial activities. The prices of food items has increased tremendous in Lagos and across the country and government food hand outs are insufficient to maintain normal existence for the poor who have no money to stockpile food items.

The inadequate and intermittent supply of electricity nationwide in Nigeria also intensifies the desperate condition of the poor more than the wealthier citizens because the poor lack refrigeration to store perishable foods.

Lagos state in common with the federal government of Nigeria and many other Nigerian states recently extended the lock-down for another two weeks in an effort to control the further spread of the corona virus (Covid-19).

What began as a normal lock down and stay at home government policy in Lagos and neighboring Ogun State in Nigeria has resulted in arm youths and vigilantes taking up arms to attack residents of richer neighborhoods and suburbs looting neighborhoods and stores. Many neighborhoods in Lagos are now living in fear

Police stations are becoming overwhelmed with false calls of attacks and panic from residents. Potential revolt against police authority and the government in general is very real if proper policy communication and steps are not taken to placate reckless youths who have become enraged with the extended lock down announcement and insufficient governmental measures to ameliorate the suffering of the masses