Femi Ashekun/
Feminist Coalition, a not-for-profit organisation and one of the leading supporters of the #EndSARS campaign, has announced that it has suspended further funding of street protests against brutality and extrajudicial killings by men of the now-disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigeria Police.
The group disclosed this in a statement titled ‘A Statement from the Feminist Coalition’, issued and co-signed by Damilola Odufuwa, Odunayo Eweniyi, Layo Ogunbanwo, Ozzy Etomi, Ire Aderinokun, Fakhrriyyah Hashim, Oluwaseun Osowobi, Jola Ayeye, Laila Johnson-Salami, Karo Omu, Obiageli Alintah, Tito Ovia, Kiki Mordi and FK Abudu.
It also said it had informed all financial supporters of the campaign to “stop all donation inflows for the #EndSARS peaceful protest,” following the speech by the President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday and urged protesters to stay indoors and observed the curfew in their respective states.
The group said it received a total of N147.8m cash donations in favour of the #EndSARS protests, adding that the funds were raised “through the generosity of well-meaning people and concerned Nigerians who want their voices to be heard and their demands to be met”.
The statement reads in part, “The past two weeks have been tough for many Nigerians, most especially the last two days. Many lives have been lost and properties destroyed at the height of what started as peaceful marches for the end to police brutality.
“The Feminist Coalition condoles with every Nigerian mother, father, son, daughter who has lost a loved one in these trying times. These Nigerians share the same vision for a better country as we all do and should be duly recognized as heroes.
“Following the President’s address, we hereby encourage all young Nigerians to stay safe, stay home, and observe the mandated curfew in your state.
“The Feminist Coalition has made a decision to henceforth stop all donation inflows for the #EndSARS peaceful protest. The rest of the donations will go towards funding medical emergencies, legal aid for wrongfully detained citizens, and relief for victims of police brutality and families of the deceased.”
It also gave a breakdown of funds received over the past 14 days as follows:
- Total received – ₦147,855,788.28 (includes donations in USD, CAD, GBP, EUR, GHS, KES, and BTC)
- Total disbursed – ₦60,403,235.00
- Total left – ₦87,452,553.28