Tobias Sylvester
Suspected hoodlums have burnt down over 50 cars during the ongoing protest against the extrajudicial activities of the now-defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) at Apo Mechanic village in Abuja.
![Hoodlums Sets Over 50 Cars Ablaze During #EndSARS Protest In Apo, Abuja [Video] 1](https://media.kanyidaily.com/2020/10/20084626/car-ablaze.jpeg "Hoodlums Sets Over 50 Cars Ablaze During #EndSARS Protest In Apo, Abuja [Video] 1")
The cars, displayed for sale at a car stand, were set ablaze by alleged thugs hired to disrupt the #EndSARS protest against the SARS tactical unit of the Nigerian Police Force over its brutality, illegal arrest, extortion, extra-judicial killings, among others.
It was gathered that the hoodlums had attempted to attack the #EndSARS protesters on Monday morning during their desmostration at Apo, but the protesters overpowered and repelled them.
When the hoodlums reinforced themselves and came back to the scene in the afternoon, the protesters had dispersed. Out of anger, the miscreants attacked the a car stand at Jesus Avenue, along Apo Mechanic Village and set it ablaze.
An eyewitness, who spoke anonymously for security reasons, said: “The hoodlums began the attack around 3:30pm. My colleague and I were driving home when we saw people running helter-skelter near the mechanic village.
“We had to park our car on the premises of Apo Shoprite for safety reasons and run for our lives. We also saw those who set the cars ablaze brandishing machetes and small knives to intimidate and scare the people away.”
The source added that some policemen were in the area while the mayhem lasted. But, they were too few to stop the hoodlums who came in numbers.
Below are some of the videos from the scene circulationg on the social media.
Those @PoliceNG Paid Thugs in Abuja have set on fire many cars belonging to protesters in Apo. #EndSARS
Abuja, please be careful, they’re on a rampage and they have just killed 2 people. We need names of those killed in Abuja. pic.twitter.com/LRzzw1iP3z
— . (@FakhuusHashim) October 19, 2020
Live from Kabusa junction, Apo Abuja. The policemen brought in thugs with two of their vans!
📷: @ApataSeyi #endsars #EndPoliceBrutalityinNigeraNOW pic.twitter.com/CDVody0plR— Fahd (@Jibmann) October 19, 2020
Hired thugs have hijacked Kabusa and Apo in Abuja. They are burning cars and the Policemen around are aiding them.
There is no excuse for this kind of callousness by the Nigerian Government. Abuja Protesters have been killed, some stabbed in the buttocks, etc. #EndSARS pic.twitter.com/T6AQlh0RNu
— ADÉBÁYỌ̀ RAPHAEL (@Adebayo_Ralph) October 19, 2020
VIDEO UPDATE- The sponsored thugs allegedly sets over 200 #EndSARS protesters cars in Apo, Abuja.
RT aggressively so at least help/fire service can be sent there!#AbujaProtests#EndPoliceBrutalityinNigeraNOW#EndBadGoveranceInNigeria#EndSARSImmediately
pic.twitter.com/vuKR31l8ka— DjPtricks (@DGreenplug) October 19, 2020
https://twitter.com/Zaddy_Clinton/status/1318266336359948288?s=20
The latest attack comes 24 hours after the death of Anthony Onome, an Abuja resident died in the hospital on Sunday after he was stabbed while marching with other protesters on Saturday.
