The Federal Government said yesterday that it has not  banned any  debunked allegation in the social media that it has not banned participants in the recent  #EndSARS protest from travelling out of the country.

It said there was ‘no-fly list’ of youths who participated in the #EndSARS protests, as stated by   report circulating in the social media.

Ministry of Interior stated this in a tweet @MinOfInteriorNG, yesterday that: “The Ministry of Interior did not, has not and will not generate any no-fly list” and urgd the general public to ignore the story and grade it as “fake news”.

An #EndSARS mobiliser, Modupe Odele, was stopped from travelling by  the Nigerian Immigration Service on Monday.

Though there was explanation for the action, it was believed to be related to her mobilisation for the protests.

Odele, through her Twitter handle, @Mochievous, canvassed support for the protests, spurring on her 219,000 followers.

She offered free legal aid to persons who were unjustly arrested during the demonstrations, aside from giving details of support for protesters.

The lawyer said she was on her way to the Maldives to celebrate her birthday when she was accosted by immigration officers.

Odele said she was detained, while her passport was seized by the officers, forcing her to miss her flight.

Sowore Accused of Hijacking Rallies

In a related development, the Body of Genuine #EndSARS protesters yesterday raised the alarm over the attempts by the #RevolutionNow convener and publisher of Sahara Reporters, Mr. Omoyele Sowore, to hijack the agitation to pursue his agenda.

The group drew attention to Sunday, November 1, 2020 event in Abuja, where some persons were seen protesting under the auspices of #EndSARS, as an indication of a selfish ploy to revive the now-rested nationwide protests.

Recall that the said protesters, with Sowore assuming a prominent place, had besieged the precincts of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, as well as the Force Headquarters, where they left the “#EndSARS” inscription boldly on the roads.

This attempt to revive the demonstrations, however, had been greeted by angry reaction from the original promoters of #EndSARS protests, who have called on the youths in the country, to disregard the revivalist agenda.

The Genuine #EndSARS protesters, in a statement yesterday by Dr Orji Nwakocha (South East); Dr Aremu Babatunde (South West); Comrade Frank Jaja (South South); Alhaji Ibrahim Dan Iya (North West); Sheik Mohammed Adamu (North East); Mr. Dakwohi Samson (FCT); and Comrade Peter Yohana (North Central), accused Sowore of a deliberate attempt to blackmail President Muhammadu Buhari.

According to the group, the need for citizens to give government’s at all levels the chance to address the concerns that necessitated the #EndSARS demonstrations, had become compelling, moreso that commitments had already been made.

It submitted that the antecedents of Sowore, who had led a failed “revolution” attempt, could not inspire meaningful followership, hence the need to disown him.

“The attention of the Genuine #EndSARS protesters has been drawn to the Sunday, November 1, 2020 attempt in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, to relaunch the now-rested nationwide demonstrations demanding an end to the dreaded police squad, and general reform of the Nigeria Police.

“Leading this unpopular move is one Omoyele Sowore, the publisher of the controversial online news platform, Sahara Reporters.

“Ordinarily, the Genuine #EndSARS protesters would not have dignified this latest development, but for the character, disposition and antecedent of the person at the centre of this, whose infamy remains unparalleled in contemporary Nigerian politics,” the group said in the statement.

The organisation further chronicled the recent events that characterised the person of Sowore, culminating in his ongoing trial before a competent court of jurisdiction.

According to the statement, “Nigerians will recall that Sowore had, sometime in 2019, attempted to lead a failed ‘revolution’ against the government of President Muhammadu Buhari, leading to his arrest and ongoing trial on a 7-count criminal charge bordering on treason, money laundering and cyber-stalking, before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

“It may be further recalled that, owing to the entrenchment of democratic tenets under the current administration, which adheres strictly to the principle of rule of law, institutional independence/non-interference, the court graciously granted Sowore bail, with conditions attached therein.

“One of such conditions was a restriction on addressing public gatherings, until the criminal trial was concluded.

“In his characteristic disobedience to law and properly constituted authorities, Sowore has continued to observe that aspect of his bail conditions in the breach.

“We have taken the pain of articulating these points, to show to the world who this man truly is, as a prelude to the obvious attempt to hijack a worthy cause initiated by patriotic youths with genuine agitations.

“Having said this, we wish to unequivocally dissociate ourselves from the attempt by Sowore and his few co-travellers, to re-launch the #EndSARS protests, which have since been rested by the original promoters, to allow action from governments at the various levels.

“We make bold to say that, considering the aftermath of the nationwide protests – as seen in the hijack by hoodlums and attendant deaths, destruction of public and private property – no responsible citizen would want to re-ignite the event.”

It concluded thus: “Clearly, this move – to all intent and purposes – is manifestly tendentious, overtly self-serving and anything but altruistic.

“It is designed to further his selfish agenda of blackmailing the federal government, and we completely dissociate ourselves from this move by a man seen in many instances as a meddlesome interloper, who seeks to hijack noble causes, for premeditated ends.

“We, hereby, call on millions of our articulate, ever-conscious and responsible youths across the 36 states of the federation, and the FCT, to resist these latest antics by Sowore, as it will not only threaten the relative peace being enjoyed today, but disturb the socio-economic fabric of a nation negotiating recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Govs Meet over Security, COVID-19 palliatives

Meanwhile, the governors of 36 states are meeting today in Abuja to review the effects of the just- ended #EndSARS protests in relation to internal security, the distribution of COVID-19 palliatives and other related issues.

The Head, Media and Public Affairs, Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo, who disclosed this in a statement yesterday, said the issues would form the main focus of the 21st NGF teleconference scheduled for 2pm today.

Bello-Barkindo said, “by the invitation sent to NGF members by the Director General, Asishana Okauru, the governors would be reviewing the internal security situation in the country and the status of the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) whose activities in some parts of the country, led to the recent nationwide demonstrations.

 “Along with this is the overview from different quarters arising from the CACOVID palliatives flag-offs cum distribution and the subsequent indiscriminate looting of various warehouses throughout the country, which resulted from the demonstrations.

“As usual, the Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Ekiti State, Dr John Kayode Fayemi, will give a remark on the most contemporary issues affecting the country since the last (20th NGF Teleconference) meeting.

“In this regard, the Ekiti State Governor will be addressing his colleagues on several issues including a feedback from the villa on the UBEC counterpart funding as schools are reopening nationwide and the 50th anniversary of Arewa, which took place in Kaduna at the weekend, where the Chairman and a host of northern governors were in attendance.

“Only one presentation is on the schedule for today’s meeting. It is the Digital Curriculum Initiative for Basic and Secondary Education ingeniously tagged the e-Gamma solutions ltd.

“Before the floor is open for any other business, the regular updates on the States’ Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability (SFTAS) programme and the Governor Okowa Committee which liaises between the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID19 and the NGF will both provide an update.

“Governors are expected, according to the NGF Director General, to join the virtual meeting at 1pm as proceedings commence at 2pm prompt.”