Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, has made strong assertions regarding protests in Nigeria, particularly referencing the 2020 EndSARS movement as the “beginning and the foundation of irresponsible protesting”.
Speaking on Newscentral’s morning programme, Breakfast Central, on Wednesday, Bwala argued that while protests are a democratic right, they must be organised to maintain law and order. He criticised disruptive protests, saying that there is nowhere in the world where law enforcement will close its eyes and let it happen.
“Any protest that is not organised, the government can’t sit back and see all the Nigerians affected.” He said.
He further labelled the EndSARS protests as a turning point in how demonstrations are conducted in Nigeria.
“EndSARS was the beginning and the foundation of irresponsible protesting.
Before EndSARS, all the protests that we’ve had in the country were protests that were organised. That’s why they say organised protests.” He noted.
Responding to accusations that the government shut down the EndSARS protests through force, Bwala refuted such claims, instead suggesting that external forces played a role while acknowledging “a lot of misadventure by law enforcement.”
Bwala also took a swipe at the role of international media, particularly CNN, in shaping the EndSARS narrative. He argued that much of what was reported about the incident was exaggerated.
“A lot of the other story was built on the fake news reporting of a CNN anchor,” he claimed.
“Some of the things that were peddled [by] CNN were over-exaggerated, and later they had to do a walk-back.”
His comments are likely to stir debate, as the EndSARS movement remains one of the most defining moments in Nigeria’s recent history. While his stance reinforces the government’s narrative, many activists and citizens continue to view the protests as a legitimate stand against police brutality.
His remarks highlight ongoing tensions between the state’s approach to civil demonstrations and the rights of citizens to protest, raising questions about how Nigeria balances security concerns with democratic freedoms.
