Awosanya announced his withdrawal in a statement on Sunday, alleging that the movement fueling it is seeking insurrection.
He said, ‘Jumping from social reform already in gear without consultation to the original organisation that’s been on it since 2017, staging coordinated attacks on prominent reform advocates and then using a credible advocacy’s campaign to raise funds through an unregistered NGO, threatening the integrity of our nation and gunning for youth insurrection in the name of #EndSARS. Is this even sane?’ he asked in his statement.
Awosanya had hitherto been the face of the #EndSARS campaign on social media.
He has been accused of trying to use a platform he created with other activists against police brutality to outsmart #EndSARS protesters.
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But he denied the allegations, saying they were being pushed by a group of feminists whom he accused of pursuing an LGBTQ agenda.
The Feminist Coalition has been leading the campaign to raise funds and support victims of police brutality and undue harassment over the past two weeks. Their role received a terrific boost last week when Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey recognised the platform as the face of the movement, verified their Twitter accounts, and amplified their fundraiser.
Feminist Coalition, in a now-deleted tweet, had said it is now expanding its campaign against police brutality to include a call to restore the dignity of members of the LGBTQ+ community in Nigeria.
‘Our communal fight to #EndSARS is inclusive of the LGBGTQ+ community who are also harassed, assaulted and killed by police,’ the group said on Twitter Sunday evening. ‘They deserve the same justice we seek & even more so, as they are also a target of the law. You can’t be what you fight against!’
LGBTQ+ is widely defined as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer and others.
‘A movement is not a political party or interest group, neither is it a fad or trend, which are unorganised, fleeting and without structured goals. It is in between all these and takes grounded education to navigate the terrain,’ Awosanya said.
He further tweeted: ‘All efforts to talk sense into the arrow heads, who are mostly abroad and the few in their high estates have proven abortive. I believe everyone is matured enough to face the consequences of their actions. #Selah.’
All efforts to talk sense into the arrow heads, who are mostly abroad and the few in their high estates have proven abortive. I believe everyone is matured enough to face the consequences of their actions. #Selah https://t.co/7aeXAySpYz
— SEGA L'éveilleur® (@segalink) October 18, 2020
The activist had earlier called for the protest to end since the government has asked for time to implement their demands
“We want SARS to End!” #EndSARS #ReformPoliceNG SARS has ended! STS & IRT shutdown across Nigeria & restricted to Abuja. Cases against them are being looked into & data on the complaints since 2015 to 2019 will be released shortly. The issue here has factual & historical reality. pic.twitter.com/5BNVPtB5oE
— SEGA L'éveilleur® (@segalink) October 18, 2020
“We want SARS to End!” #EndSARS #ReformPoliceNG SARS has ended! STS & IRT shutdown across Nigeria & restricted to Abuja. Cases against them are being looked into & data on the complaints since 2015 to 2019 will be released shortly. The issue here has factual & historical reality. pic.twitter.com/5BNVPtB5oE
— SEGA L'éveilleur® (@segalink) October 18, 2020
AFRICA TODAY NEWS, NEW YORK