Somto Bisina
Police officers have reportedly fired tear gas on people having a procession at Lekki Tollgate in commemoration of the EndSARS protest that turned bloody on October 20, 2020.
Participants are marking the second memorial of the shooting allegedly, carried out by military officers that claimed many lives.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelPresidential candidate of the African Action Congress, (AAC) in Nigeria’s 2023 election, Omoyele Sowore who appeared at the scene of the procession, condemned the action of the police. He said, “this is rubbish. You can’t be shooting teargas at people who have not hurt you in any way.”
Amnesty International (AI), a global human rights advocacy group, has stated that over 40 protesters are still in prisons across Nigeria two years after the #EndSARS protest.
The human rights group made this known in a statement posted on its official Twitter handle on Thursday, October 20, 2022, to mark the second memorial of the #EndSARS.
It said “Two years ago, the Nigerian army and police killed at least 12 people at Lekki Toll Gate and in Alausa, Lagos State, while pro-government armed groups deliberately instigated violence at many #EndSARS demonstrations in other parts of the country. #LekkiMassacre.
The group, which released the names of the detainees, disclosed that the protesters were being held at Agodi Correctional Centre, Oyo State and Kirikiri Medium Security Prison in Lagos, without trial.
Appraising the situation, Amnesty International Country Director, Osai Ojigho, said the panels had failed to deliver justice to hundreds of victims.
She said intimidation of witnesses by police lawyers and prolonged adjournment, among others, were the order of the day during the proceedings of the panels.
Ojigho said the international human rights body found out that over 40 protesters were still being detained illegally two years after the #EndSARS protests, and demanded for their immediate release.
“Amnesty International has found that over 40 protesters are still languishing in prisons across Nigeria without trial. Oyewole Olumide, Rasheed Tiamiyu, Moruf Adekunle, Taoreed Abiodun, Ikenna Amechi, Afeez Ariyo, Ikechukwu Eze, and Adesina Ademuyiwa were among those arrested in Ibadan for participating in #EndSARS protests in October 2020,” AI statement indicated.
The group further revealed that 19 protesters were also being held without trial in Kirikiri Medium Security Prison in Lagos since 2020.
The victims, it said, include Ayodeji Oluwasegun, Andoh Immanuel, Yakubu Olayiwola, Olaogun Ismail, Uba Chukwuma, Dosunmu Taiwo, Daniel Joy-Igbo, Yusuf Rafiu, Olawale Marcus and Muyiwa Onikoyi.
It gave the names of others as Shehu Anas, Suleman Saidu, Rasheed Bolaji, Adigun Sodiq, Sunday Okoro, Akiniran Oyetakin, Ogidi Isah, Ibrahim Adesanya, and Faruk Abdulquadri.
“Many #EndSARS protesters told Amnesty International that they were tortured while in detention. Police abuse occurred in detention centres at police stations and other holding facilities and inside police vehicles. Several cases amount to torture and other ill-treatment,” the statement added.
The #EndSARS processions in October 2020 began as a peaceful protest by youths against the excesses and brutality of the disbanded police Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
But the rallies took a violent turn after it was hijacked by thugs who attacked the protesters and police stations and also looted businesses.
Today, Wednesday 20th October 2022, to pay respect to the victims of the unlawful killings, a memorial procession was announced by Nigerian rapper, Folarin Falana, also known as Falz.
The procession passed through the Lekki Toll Gate, waving the Nigerian flags and chanting #EndSARS.
There was a heavy police presence, with about 25 police cars and one Black Maria, seen at both sides of the Toll Gate. The Police earlier promised to allow the procession to go as planned, with the clause of “them not stopping.
“As long as they do not stop, we shouldn’t have a problem, because the agreement is that they don’t stop, but the moment anybody stops that person will be picked up and locked up in the van.”
However, videos circulating online show police fearing tear gas on the people who were singing and demanding for justice on the unfortunate incident.
