Despite the ongoing nationwide protests, the Inspector-General of Police (I-G), Mohammed Adamu, has declared the training of the new police tactical team, Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) will commence on Monday.

Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Frank Mba, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja; stating that the new team would operate within very high professional and ethical standards, rule of law and dictates of best international policing practices. He added that no personnel of the defunct SARS will be a member of the new tactical team.

“The officers selected for the training are young, smart and energetic officers who have acquired not less than seven years working experience with clean service records. No pending disciplinary matters, no record of violation of rights of citizens or misuse of firearms and are physically fit to withstand the rigour of SWAT Training and Operations,” he said.

---

#EndSARS: We will not allow anarchy in Nigeria – FG

The Federal Government has warned that it will not allow the country to be thrown into anarchy following the violence that has trailed the #EndSARS protests.

Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, stated this on Saturday on a late-night Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) news programme, “Weekend File”, stating that Saturday’s assassination attempt on the Osun Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, during his address, was a clear confirmation that the protests had been hijacked by hoodlums and people with ulterior agenda.

“There is nowhere in the world where a government will fold its arms and allow the country to descend into anarchy. We are no longer dealing with #EndSARS but a volatile situation that can lead to anarchy if government does not take some very firm steps to protect the lives and livelihood of innocent Nigerians,” he said.

---

#ENDSARS: ‘Kill protesters, face International Criminal Court’- Falana-led coalition says 

Coalition of labour and civil society group, the Alliance for the Survival of COVID-19 and Beyond, has asked the Nigerian Government to withdraw plans to use soldiers to quell the #EndSARS protests in major cities across the country.

ASCAB in a statement by its Chairman, Femi Falana, said the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai, or any of his men risk facing the International Criminal Court in the Hague if any of the protesters were killed.

“Nigeria wants to set another ugly precedence in world history. The Federal Government should be reminded that Operation Crocodile Smile has been declared illegal by Nigeria court with competent jurisdiction following legal actions filed by Mr Femi Falana and efforts by the Chief of Army Staff to challenge the order by approaching the Court of Appeal met a brickwall,” the statement read.

---

#EndSARS protesters launch free helpline, online radio

#EndSARS protesters who have been on the streets for over a week have taken their advocacy to another level, establishing a helpline centre and an online radio platform named ‘Soro Soke’.

Soro Soke Radio is said to aid the coordination of the #EndSARS protests nationwide through effective and timely communication. The online radio, which is accessible via https://s4.radio.co/s99d55c85b/listen, has programmes and live reports of missing and found #EndSARS protesters, and other updates on the protests across the country.

The protesters also established a helpline number which is 01 700 1755. For the users, these are the prompt numbers: Press 1 for medical. Press 2 for legal. Press 3 for food and supplies. Press 4, 5, or 6 for mental health emergencies. Press 7 for security.

---

NCDC confirms 133 new COVID-19 cases

133 new cases of #COVID19Nigeria;

Lagos-90
Rivers-13
FCT-8
Kaduna-8
Oyo-6
Ondo-3
Katsina-2
Nasarawa-2
Plateau-1

61,440 confirmed
56,611 discharged
1,125 deaths pic.twitter.com/70r5julALb

— NCDC (@NCDCgov) October 18, 2020