#EndSARS: Central Bank of Nigeria Allegedly Freezes Donation Account as Protests Intensify

There are unconfirmed reports that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has frozen the donation account belonging to the on-going #EndSARS movement, supposedly to weaken the support system for the mass anti-police brutality protests across the country.

Since last week, Nigerian youth have been trooping to the streets everyday protesting the incessant harassment, extortion and extra-judicial killings of young citizens by the now-proscribed notorious police unit, Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

To support the protests, Fintech platform, Flutterwave set up a donation account that would take care of medical bills of victims, among other needs. The company first made a N2 million donation to the cause. In a matter of hours, the account had received more than N6 million in donations from members of the public, and it reached N12 million days later.

Multiple sources, believed to be privy to the matter, said the CBN has summoned the Flutterwave management for questioning over the fundraising.

ALSO READ: #EndSARS: Tech CEOs, Celebs, Politicians, Int’l Community Back Anti-Police Brutality Protests in Nigeria

Some tech insiders also confirmed the supposed CBN move on Twitter. While responding to a tweet that raised the alarm, a technology entrepreneur, Victor Asemota, wrote “This is bad. They are afraid now.”

This is bad. They are afraid now. https://t.co/nWNhykkaVB

— Osaretin Victor Asemota (@asemota) October 13, 2020

The Nigerian government earlier today, Oct. 13, agreed to the latest demands of the angry youths barely 72 hours after dissolving SARS. But the protesters have refused to leave the streets, they insist that the government should begin to take action on the demands first.