‘Why We Tear-Gassed Protesters’
AS the second anniversary of the EndSARS nationwide protest that allegedly led to the death of scores of Nigerian enters its second day, Nigerians, especially the youth, have questioned government’s sincerity towards its citizens, vowing that the effect of event would re-echo in next year’s general elections.
Nigerians, mostly the youth, took to the streets two years this period to protest against police highhandedness, intimidation and cruelty against innocent citizens, specifically demanding the scrapping of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) unit of the Nigeria Police.
The protest, which started peacefully across the country, was later hijacked by thugs, who began to destroy government facilities and inflicted injuries on the protesters.
The climax of the protest was when soldiers of the Nigerian Army were deployed in trucks and allegedly opened fire on the peaceful protesters. The soldiers invaded the Lekki tollgate on October 20, 2020, shot, injured and killed unarmed, helpless and defenceless protesters, without provocation or justification, while they were waving the Nigerian flag and singing the National Anthem.
Government later caved in and scrapped the Police unit, but questions remain over the number of people injured and killed in the attacks on protesters across the country.
A judicial panel of inquiry set up by the state governments and awarded cost to some living victims and families of late victims of Police brutality.
In Lagos, the panel ascertained that officers of the Nigeria Police Force, who were deployed to the tollgate on the night of the incident, “shot at, assaulted and battered unarmed protesters, which led to injuries and deaths,” thus aiding the Army in the commission of a massacre on unarmed civilians.
The findings of the panel, which was released in 2021, put to rest repeated denials by the Army, the Nigerian government and the Lagos State government that a massacre was committed by the soldiers of the 65 Battalion of the 81 Garrison Division, Bonny Camp, led by Lt.-Col. Sanusi Bello.
The Lagos panel submitted two reports, one on Police brutality cases and another on the Lekki incident investigation. But the report became a subject of controversy, especially with the Federal Government, rejecting the panel report for inconsistencies, and it was subjected to another panel, which watered down the report.
In Lagos, the Police fired teargas at marchers marking the second anniversary of the attacks, further evoking memories of the 2020 protest.
Thee State Police Command admitted that it employed minimal force to disperse some Nigerian youths who gathered at the Lekki Tollgate for the EndSARS memorial procession on Thursday.
The Command’s spokesman, Benjamin Hundeyin, while debunking allegations of sporadic shooting at the tollgate on Thursday, said some of the protesters decided to be lawless, leading to the use of teargas.
In a series of tweets on his official Twitter handle, Hundeyin stated that there was no physical contact between the protesters and the Police, insisting that no shooting incident was recorded.
According to him: “Peaceful persons were allowed to move around without interference from the Police. Some of them decided to be lawless and start mounting the toll complex, an action threatening the existing law and order in the area, were dispersed with teargas.
“There was no use of baton, neither was there physical contact. We equally do not have any record of shooting. We would, however, appreciate evidence of gunshots, maybe a video, to enable us to take appropriate action.
“A stitch in time saves nine. They were already gathering at the toll gate, as opposed to doing a peaceful procession. Minimal force was used. No injury or fatality.”
Online video footages showed protesters and other civilians fleeing the scene of the #EndSARSmemorial procession. The procession, which was led by comedian, Adebowale Adedayo, popularly known as Mr. Macaroni, and singer, Folarin Falana, aka Falz, saw youths march through the toll gate twice from Lekki Phase One to Oriental Hotel. They moved in two lines, allowing vehicles to pass.
Falz said the essence of the march was to pay respects to those who lost their lives at the toll gate two years ago, adding: “We are here to commemorate the lives of the ones that we lost to the hands of Police brutality and to also ask for justice, because justice has not been done and nobody has been punished or brought to book.
“A panel was set up and recommendations were made by this panel and it said people were killed and members of the Nigerian Army were culpable. The most important aim is to remember some of the bravest people that we ever had in this country.”
Falz stated that #EndSARS is not tied to any political party, as it has never been a political movement, insisting: “It has never had any affiliations with any political party. Even today, we told people not to bring any political materials, because we are not here for any campaign. #EndSARS is a singular movement that started as a protest against Police brutality.”
Also speaking, Feyikemi Abudu explained that the procession was a peaceful march, noting: “It is a procession and we are walking through the toll gate. Cars are not being stopped. We are here to remember people. The security had been fine. No one is causing trouble or stopping traffic.”
She lamented that no one has been held responsible for the killing of peaceful protesters at the toll gate two years ago, adding: #EndSARS was not a political movement. Calling it a political movement again is an excuse to not acknowledge what is happening.”
