Officers of the Lagos state police command have arrested two persons at the Lekki tollgate — venue of the #EndSARSMemorial protest.
One of those arrested was a journalist identified as Abisola Alawode from Legit.ng while the other is Okechukwu Peter, a lone protester seen carrying a placard.
The police had reportedly warned that anyone seen at the tollgate without an ID card will be arrested.
The journalist was said to have been arrested because he was unable to produce his ID card when the police officers requested it.
When the journalist produced another means of identification, it was said to have been seized from him before he was taken to the police van and driven away.
Another journalist from Arise TV was also said to have been harassed by security operatives for not hanging his ID card on his neck but he was not arrested as other journalists rallied around in his defence.
In October 2020, Nigerian youths took to the streets in some parts of the country to protest against the now-disbanded special anti-robbery squad (SARS), a unit of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF).
To commemorate the first anniversary of the movement, youths planned a series of activities, including protests at some strategic places across the country.
Police commands of different states including Lagos and Osun, had however, issued statements warning youths against the protests and threatening to arrest anyone who defies the order.
In a bid to enforce the ban on protests issued by the police, security operatives, on Wednesday morning, were deployed at strategic points where protests were planned to be staged.
Police tear-gas protesters at Lekki tollgate
The protest to commemorate #EndSARS first anniversary has taken a different turn as the police fired teargas at protesters at Lekki tollgate in Lagos.
Nigerians in Lagos, Abuja and some other states poured into the streets on Wednesday to mark the first anniversary of the #EndSARS protest.
The #EndSARS protest of October 2020 was a campaign against police brutality, harassment, extortion and extrajudicial killing by the special anti-robbery squad (SARS).
Speaking to journalists shortly after, Hakeem Odumosu, Lagos commissioner of police, said the protesters told him they were going to end the demonstration by 10 am.
Odumosu said any protest beyond the agreed time is constituting a nuisance.
“Between 8am and 10am, anything after 10 am is a nuisance,” Odumosu said.
“I discussed with them and they said they will end the protest by 10 o’clock. Any other person doing it now… that’s nuisance…. that have guns, the ones with machete, hammer, are they protesters or miscreants?
“The protesters are free; they have done their thing and left. Any other person remaining are the miscreants, hoodlums that want to capitalise on that to attack innocent people and start robbing people. We will not allow that.”
The CP also confirmed the arrest of a journalist and said he has ordered his release.
VIDEO: @PoliceNG fire tear gas at protesters in Lekki tollgate tends arms emprise pic.twitter.com/w4jFVI7ru0
— TheCable (@thecableng) October 20, 2021
Victims of police brutality yet to get justice one year after, says Amnesty
Amnesty International (AI) says one year after the #EndSARS protests no security operative has been made to face justice for the “brutal crackdown” on peaceful protesters.
The human rights watchdog said instead, reports of human rights violations by the police have continued.
In October 2020, youths across the country took to the streets to demand an end to extrajudicial killings by the disbanded special anti-robbery squad (SARS), police brutality, harassment and bad governance.
The demonstration reached its climax on October 20, 2020, when security operatives reportedly opened fire on the protesters at Lekki tollgate in Lagos.
According to a statement issued on Wednesday, Osai Ojigho, director of Amnesty International Nigeria, said the judicial panels of inquiry set up to investigate abuses of security operatives have made little progress.
“Under the pretext of restoring order, horrific injuries were inflicted on hundreds of people and at least 56 people were killed, among them dozens of young people lost their lives as Nigerian security forces used unnecessary and excessive force to disperse peaceful protesters across the country,” Ojigho said.
“It is unacceptable that despite overwhelming evidence, the government continues to deny the use of live ammunition on protesters at Lekki toll gate exactly a year ago.
“Amnesty International had documented incidents at Lekki Toll Gate Lagos and other parts of Nigeria, showing the violent response of the Nigerian security forces to peaceful protests. The clear aim of the crackdown was to instil fear, discourage peaceful protests and punish those demanding an end to widespread human rights violations by the police.
“After reviewing videos and photos of the protest sites, Amnesty International found that in nearly 21 incidents where violence occurred between peaceful protesters and pro-government supporters, security forces not only failed to take preventive measures to avoid peaceful assemblies from being disrupted, but they also failed to protect protesters from violent attacks.
“In many instances, the police and other security agents watched as apparently government-backed armed thugs attacked peaceful protesters. In some cases, these thugs were brought to the protest sites in government vehicles. On at least two occasions, these attacks resulted in the death of protesters.
“Almost every person arrested during the protests described being beaten with the butt of a gun, whips and fists during their arrests. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), at least 12 journalists were attacked during the #EndSARS protests by security forces and unidentified perpetrators.
“Many of those detained interviewed by Amnesty International said that they were tortured while in detention. In many cases, police abuse continued in detention, in police stations and other holding facilities, and on the way to detention, in police vehicles. Several such cases amount to torture and other ill-treatment”.
The group said the arrested protesters were denied access to lawyers and medical care by the police.
“Several lawyers and human rights defenders said they spent days moving from one police station to another trying to find out where those who had been arrested were being,” AI said.
“One person arrested during a protest on 18 October 2020 and held at Lagos state Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Panti, said he repeatedly asked to call a lawyer. He was told by a police officer to shut up. While in detention, he was denied access to a lawyer who had come to see him and was unable to meet with a lawyer until a week after being arrested.
“Providing timely access to lawyers is an important safeguard for many human rights, such as the right to a fair trial and ensuring the detainee’s rights are respected in custody, including the right to access medical care when needed, as well as protection from coerced confessions and torture and other ill-treatment”
“What we observed at these panels is discouraging and clearly shows there is no real commitment to ensuring justice for victims of police violence across Nigeria. These panels raised hopes of getting justice but in some states, this is quickly vanishing,” said Ojigho.
AI asked President Muhammadu Buhari to fulfil his promise of reforming the police “to end the reign of impunity Nigerians have been protesting against for many years”.
“Failure to bring to justice those suspected to be responsible for the torture and killings of #EndSARS protesters on 20 October 2020 is yet another indication that Nigerian authorities lack the political will to ensure accountability for these atrocities, and end police brutality,” AI said.
No proof any protester was killed at Lekki tollgate, says Lai
Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture, says there is no proof that any protester was killed at the Lekki tollgate in Lagos state in October 2020.
On October 20, 2020, some soldiers reportedly opened fire on protesters in an attempt to disperse them, but some were allegedly killed and wounded in the attack.
The protesters were calling on the authorities to scrap the now defunct special anti-robbery squad (SARS) over cases of brutality, harassment, extortion and extrajudicial killing.
Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, Mohammed described the event at the tollgate as a “phantom massacre”.
“Today marks the first anniversary of the phantom massacre at Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos, which was the culmination of an otherwise peaceful protest that was later hijacked by hoodlums,” the minister said.
“At earlier press conferences, I had called the reported massacre at the toll gate the first massacre in the world without blood or bodies.
“One year later, and despite ample opportunities for the families of those allegedly killed and those alleging a massacre to present evidence, there has been none: No bodies, no families, no convincing evidence, nothing. Where are the families of those who were reportedly killed at the toll gate? Did they show up at the Judicial Panel of Inquiry? If not, why?”
The minister said the military did not shoot at protesters, and that the only shooting “was in the social media, hence there were neither bodies nor blood”.
“The federal government remains proud of the security agencies for acting professionally and showing utmost restraint all through the EndSARS protest and the ensuing violence, an action that saved lives and properties,” he said.
“The six soldiers and 37 policemen who died during the EndSARS protests are human beings with families, even though the Human Rights Organizations and CNN simply ignored their deaths, choosing instead to trumpet a phantom massacre.”
Security operatives block protesters from marching to n’assembly
Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), soldiers and police officers have prevented #EndSARSMemorial protesters from marching to the national assembly.
The protesters had earlier converged at Unity Fountain to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the #EndSARS protest.
While there, the protesters wielded placards, singing, and calling on the government to “meet our demands”.
From Unity Fountain, they proceeded to the national assembly to continue their protest.
However, on their way to the national assembly, they came face to face with security operatives who mounted a barricade.
The security operatives, who were armed with guns and whips, also blocked the road with their cars.
Protesters who were asked to go back could be heard saying “protesting is our right, we are not thugs”.
After a dialogue of over one hour between the security operatives and the protesters, no progress was made.
The police stood their ground and refused the onward movement of the protesters to the national assembly.
Eventually, the protesters were forced to turn back and head towards the Unity Fountain.
Omoyele Sowore, leader of the #RevolutionNow Movement, and Deji Adeyanju, a human rights activist, were among the protesters.
In October 2020, youths across the country took to the streets to demand an end to police brutality and extrajudicial killings by the disbanded special anti-robbery squad (SARS).
The demonstration reached its climax on October 20, 2020, when security operatives opened fire on protesters at Lekki tollgate in Lagos.
Pro-Buhari protesters hit Unity Fountain, say nobody died at Lekki tollgate
A group of pro-Buhari protesters has converged on the Unity Fountain in Abuja, saying “nobody died at Lekki tollgate” in Lagos.
The protesters who were conveyed to the venue on a bus, held up placards stating,”#EndSarsProtest; Lekki shooting was a hoax”, and ”Nobody died at Lekki tollgate”.
On October 20, 2020, soldiers reportedly opened fire on protesters campaigning against police brutality at Lekki tollgate.
While some reports, including civil society groups say some protesters were killed in the attack, the federal government has disputed this account.
Lai Mohammed, minister of information, on Wednesday described the Lekki incident as a ”phantom massacre”.
Nigerians poured into the streets in Lagos, Abuja and other places today to mark the first anniversary of the #EndSARS protest.
Source : THE CABLE
