The former Senate President of Nigeria, Dr Bukola Saraki, has urged Nigerians not to ever forget the #EndSARS protest that rocked the nation last year, and some parts of the world last year.
The protest which lasted for days was staged by Nigerian youths due to incessant police brutality meted out to them. On this day last year, it was reported that there was a mass shooting of the protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate, Lagos, by personnel of the Nigerian Army, which led to the loss of lives.
In a statement issued by the former senate president, Saraki while marking the first anniversary of the sad incident said that his thoughts and prayers are with those who lost their lives, loved ones, sustained injuries, or sustained other losses at the Lekki Toll Gate.
The statement read in part, “On the first anniversary of October 20th, 2020, like many Nigerians, I have struggled with coming to terms with the sobering events of that day.
My thoughts and prayers are with those who lost their lives, loved ones, sustained injuries, or sustained other losses at the Lekki Toll Gate and at various locations in Lagos and around the country when security agencies were deployed to clamp down on the protests and non-state actors took advantage to cause chaos and mayhem.”
Saraki further noted that it is worrying that despite the protest that rocked the nation nothing has really been done to resolve the issues that caused the protests in the first place.
He said, “It is worrying that despite the acceptance of the ‘5 for 5 Demands’, nothing has really been done to resolve the issues that caused the protests in the first place. None of the policemen accused of torturing and extrajudicially murdering Nigerian citizens have been brought to justice, there has been no marked improvement in the funding or quality of equipment available to the Nigerian Police Force and these incidents of torture continue in many security facilities nationwide.
“Furthermore, none of the perpetrators of the attacks on Nigerians exercising their rights to peaceful assembly have been arrested or prosecuted, despite many of them being identified. Similarly, none of the perpetrators of mindless acts of destruction and looting of property worth billions of Naira have been arrested or brought to justice. Instead, several young people are still held in detention facilities across the country without trial.”
Saraki stated that instead of the police to protect the citizen, the Nigerian Police have resorted to threatening the public.
“It appears that the lessons that ought to be learned from the events last year have been lost. This is why rather than mobilise to safeguard and protect citizens, the Nigerian Police have resorted to threats and mobilisation to prevent further expressions of dissatisfaction with the status quo. It is my sincere hope that common sense will prevail and the young people who seek to hold events to mark the first anniversary of the events at the Lekki Toll Gate will be allowed to peacefully gather and be protected from any forms of violence.
“The carnage that followed the attacks on protesters by security agencies and non-state actors must stand as a lesson to governments at all levels that they must learn to engage with the Nigerian populace in a manner that preserves and respects their constitutional rights and freedoms or face the risk of creating an atmosphere that enables a breakdown of law and order,” he said.
He further appealed to the Nigerian government to reform the police and justice sector.
“Today represents an opportunity for the government to begin the police and justice sector reforms our country so badly needs. It is an opportunity I appeal to the government to take. This is the only way we can honour the memory of those who gave their lives for this cause,” Saraki said.
