Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, has ignited controversy by labelling the 2020 #EndSARS movement as the "beginning and the foundation of irresponsible protesting" in Nigeria.
Bwala made the remarks during an appearance on Newscentral's "Breakfast Central" program on Wednesday, February 12.
While acknowledging the right to protest as a democratic principle, Bwala emphasized the need for organization and adherence to the law.
"Any protest that is not organized, the government can't sit back and see all the Nigerians affected," he stated.
Bwala argued that previous protests in Nigeria were more structured and responsible compared to the #EndSARS movement.
"Before #EndSARS, all the protests that we've had in the country were protests that were organized. That's why they say organized protests," he explained.
He refuted claims that the government used force to shut down the #EndSARS protests, suggesting the involvement of external forces and acknowledging "a lot of misadventure by law enforcement."
He also criticized the role of international media, particularly CNN, accusing them of exaggerating the events.
"A lot of the other story was built on the fake news reporting of a CNN anchor," he claimed.
The #EndSARS protests, which initially called for an end to police brutality, evolved into calls for government reform and accountability.
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