#EndSARS: Group Alleges N8m Offer To Protest In Nasarawa

BY AHMED TUKUR LAFIA – Can it be true that the Association of Local Boxers, ‘Dambe’, in Mararaba, Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa state, got a tempting offer of N8 million from some #EndSARS promoters to participate in the nationwide peaceful protests that later turned ugly and violent?

This is the burning question that many are seeking an answer following disclosure by the Chairman of ‘Dambe’, Idris Umar Bambarewa that the Association rejected the said amount as the #EndSARS movement gathered momentum across Nigeria.

Speaking during an interview in Mararaba, Bambarewa said the offer was for them to join the protest, carry placards and possibly destroy government property during the #EndSARS campaigns.

Bambarewa said they rejected the offer and refused to join the protest after considering the negative effects the protest could have on the State and society at large.

“The instruction was for us to stop vehicular movement into Abuja from Mararaba axis and engineer the destruction of property, particularly those belonging to government”

Bambarewa said his group has over 5000 members who are gainfully employed as local boxers, adding that they are all law abiding and would not want to engage in any criminal activities.

“Some people came here in three black jeeps in the night and offered N8 million for my group to block the road and protest but I rejected the offer because I don’t even know them and we are living in peace in Nasarawa state.

“They threatened to apply force to make us reconsider our position. But we stood our ground. I told them that my group is law abiding and cannot engage in what we don’t know the motive”.

The “Dambe’ leader further explained that an emergency meeting was immediately summoned and members strictly warned that anybody caught would be deregistered from the body and handed over to the security agencies.

“They said that we should destroy government property and that they will show us where food meant for palliatives are kept for our members to loot”, Bambarewa said.

Expressing happiness that they rejected the tempting offer, the Association Chairman said as things eventually turned out, participation in the violent protest would have taken the State several years back given the massive looting and destruction of public and private that occurred in some parts of the country.

“As an association, we can easily generate about N8 million monthly. So what would be the sense in destroying where our earnings come from and the things that we laboured for over the years”.

He however pleaded with the State government to consider building a permanent structure for the Association to ensure proper coordination and avoid a situation where some people unpatriotic elements might want to infiltrate their ranks, destabilize the body and create confusion in the state.

“We are appealing to the state government to get us a permanent site that we can operate to avoid people coming to use us. We have the potential to easily generate huge revenue monthly through targeted empowerment.

“Apart from earning revenue for government, we can also create more business opportunities with companies coming and investing in our local derbies”, Bambarewa said