The CBN is not Independent!
Following the Nigerian youths protest that started on the 8th of October, 2020 to end police brutality by calling on the end to a particular unit of the Nigerian Police Force; the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS), that has in many ways committed extra-judicial killings, wrongful arrests and outrightly violates human rights, a financial institution; Flutterwave supported the movement by creating a financial donations link to assist the ease of protesters access to basic needs like food and water.
The company wrote on its twitter page on the 9th of October, 2020 and I quote; “Injustice to one is injustice to all. We have band together to stop this. Feeling safe as we go about our daily business is a right, not a privilege. All of us at flutterwave stand with Nigerians at this time.”
This comes after the protesters and its supporters had started donating money to different personal accounts and concerns for transparency and decentralization of funds arose. The link created by the institution for the ease of donation was only one way the company could support protesters as its employees have also told several stories of how the officers of SARS continually arrested and molested them. The company was only standing in solidarity of its employees and against impunity, bad governance and extra-judicial killings that have been happening in the country for which video evidence has constantly surfaced.
However, this did not seem to sit well with those in power and the Central Bank of Nigeria who stood and supported the idea that 36 million naira that was in the WAEC office was swallowed by a snake in 2016 has said that the manner in which flutterwave supported the resilience and demands of the youth was a sponsor of terrorism and have called for the company to be shut down! This is a height of impunity we will not support and we will continue to speak up and not only watch as this case of illegal abuse of power works against a company that stood with the citizens of Nigeria in demanding for something as basic as THEIR RIGHT TO LIFE!
I will update you as the matter unfolds. Till next time (If I do not get shot at by the police on this protest ground), I remain Oluwafunmibi.