The speaker of the Nigerian Federal House of Representatives Femi Gbajabiamila has spoken of the great and pressing need to rethink Government spending on the country’s educational institutions.The speaker made this statement while addressing the house during the first session after the resumption of legislative proceedings. He reiterated the need to return the nation’s institutions of higher learning to citadels of superior education.

He further promised to address the issue of police brutality with the drafting of new legislation that enables systems to hold erring police officers to account for their conduct in the performance of their duties.Gbajabiamila also told the House that the 2021 budget will not be signed off unless adequate funding is made for education and for police.While conceding that steps taken so far by the government have not been sufficient to satisfy the demands of the agitators, he said the protesters have raised their voices for a righteous cause and those voices have been heard. He called on them to move their agitations from the chaos of the streets to a round table for discussions on the way forward and asked them to not allow the protests to be hijacked by troublemakers seeking to cause chaos.This statement will some a level of victory for the #EndSARS protesters as some of the points listed in their demands presented to the federal government were addressed in the Speaker’s statement. Nevertheless it remains to be seen if the government is serious and honest enough to actually carry out their various commitments and address all of the demand made by the agitators.

---

Sanwoolu declares 24hrs curfew in Lagos State from 4pm today

Meanwhile the Lagos State Government Babajide Sanwoolu has declared a 24 hour curfew throughout the state. This the Governor said was to prevent the breakdown into anarchy and chaos, and to prevent further threats to life and property as a result of the ongoing Endasars Protest.He expressed his concern that the peaceful demonstrations have been hijacked by criminals and miscreants who are hiding under the protests to unleash mayhem on the state.There have been several acts of arson, looting and attacks throughout the state and a few police stations around Lagos have been set on fire.

---

---