The Organising Committee of the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protest has called for the dismissal of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, in response to the killing of protesters.
The protesters made this demand during a candlelight symposium held in honour of the victims at the Rights House in Ikeja, Lagos State, on Friday.
Recall that the committee, based at the Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park in Ojota, Lagos, had declared three days of mourning for those killed nationwide during the ongoing #EndBadGovernance protests.
The hunger strike, which was intended to last for ten days, is now on its ninth day as of Friday.
Amnesty International has accused the Nigerian security forces of killing at least 21 protesters during a week of demonstrations against economic hardships.
At the candlelight symposium, a member of the committee and National Spokesperson of the Youth Rights Campaign, Hassan Taiwo, emphasised the urgency of sacking the IGP, stating that more than 40 people have lost their lives nationwide. “We are demanding the sacking of the Inspector General of Police,” he asserted.
Meanwhile, the CDHR candlelight procession is expected to commence in Alausa after the symposium.
However, police officers stopped protesters from proceeding to the Alausa area in Lagos State, instead offering an alternative route.
Taiwo added that the group was determined to mourn those killed but will not proceed to Alausa due to orders from the Lagos State Commissioner of Police.
He urged the group members to take control of the procession, emphasising that their peaceful approach should not be seen as cowardice.
He said, “We’ve just been informed by the police that the Commissioner of Police has directed us not to go to Alausa. Comrades, I propose, if you don’t mind, that we take control of this procession ourselves, rather than giving them the chance to dictate our actions. They should not mistake our gentility for cowardice.”
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