By Bisi Olaniyi, Southsouth Bureau Chief, Bisi Oladele and Segun Showunmi, Yinka Adeniran, Ibadan, Kolade Adeyemi, Jos, Sanni Onogu, Abuja, Toba Adedeji, Osogbo, Osagie Otabor, Akure, Damian Duruiheoma, Enugu, Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin, Okungbowa Aiwerie, Asaba, Bassey Anthony, Uyo, Polycarp Orosevwotu, Ughelli, Rosemary Nwisi, Port Harcourt, Sunny Nwankwo, Umuahia
Youths and activists on Wednesday defied the police by peacefully protesting in Oyo, Osun, Ondo, Plateau, Edo, Rivers, Enugu, Abia and Delta states to mark the first anniversary of the #EndSARS protests.
It was a battle of wits between the organisers of the events and security men in some states as they tried to outsmart each other.
A journalist was arrested in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, as policemen dispersed protesters.
Protesters defy police orders in Ibadan
Despite warnings by the police, groups of youths yesterday staged a peaceful protest in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital city.
The youths, who were dressed in black, carried placards and sang solidarity songs expressing displeasure about the continuous detention of some of those arrested over the #EndSARS protest last year.
Although the Iwo Road axis was manned by heavy security presence, the protesters in a convoy of about five cars with a minibus carrying speakers moved around the Iwo Road Roundabout.
Despite the protests, business owners, shop owners and residents move freely in the axis without fear.
But, the protest led to mild traffic congestion in the area. Officers of the traffic unit of the police were on hand to help manage the traffic situation before degenerating.
Police special forces, including Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), Anti-Kidnapping Squad (AKS), Anti-Bomb Squad and other officers, were strategically located in the axis.
Coordinator of the group, christened: “Take it back movement”, Oyo State chapter, Emiola Solomon, said the group is protesting the continuous detention of some of its members, who were arrested since last year.
A mild drama played out when the protesters stopped at the Ibadan-Ife axis of the Iwo Road Roundabout and faced the police officers who were seated and monitoring the situation.
Despite the intimidating songs and verbal attacks on the police officers, the policemen remained calm and assured the protesters of the readiness to ensure the protest was not hijacked.
The protesters, later guided by security operatives, walked from Iwo Road through Idi Ape to Agodi Gate before terminating at the Oyo State Secretariat, Agodi.
They later marched on to Ojoo where they were billed to stage a candle procession.
Addressing the protesters at the entrance, the Executive Assistant to Governor Seyi Makinde on Security, CP Sunday Odukoya (retd), said the case is still in court and urged the protesters to be lawful in their conduct.
Ojoo, a major centre announced for yesterday’s protest, and the main gate of the University of Ibadan were deserted this morning by protesters.
When our correspondents visited the two sites famous for protests, scores of armed and unarmed policemen were seen at strategic locations obviously to prevent the planned protest.
Soldiers were also seen patrolling UI-Sango-Ojoo Road.
Security men disrupt peaceful protest in Plateau
Some youths in Plateau State stage a peace #EndSARS protest in the evening at the National Museum headquarters in Jos to honour the victims, who died last year. However, the aggrieved youths in their small numbers converged at the National museum at about 6:00 pm to begin the solemn event.
The peaceful event took close to an hour before armed security personnel stormed the venue and asked them to leave, calling their gathering illegal.
The event was climax with candlelight as a sign of respect to the fallen heroes.
One of the activists, who craved anonymity, told The Nation: “It is not about people coming out en-masse. This is a solemn event in which our little number is enough to commemorate the death of youths, who sacrificed their lives during the October 20, 2020 #EndSARS protest across the country.”
Low turnout as police arrest journalist in Osun
Youths yesterday stormed streets in Osogbo as part of the nationwide protest.
The protesters, numbering about 25 youths, converged at Ita-Olokan’s bridge, Osogbo around 12 noon.
They carried banners and placards chanting anti-police and government songs.
The police attacked the protesters at Oke-Fia and arrested some of them.
A journalist, Sikiru Obarayese, the correspondent of Daily Post, was arrested at the old garage while other colleagues took to their heels from the scene to escape arrest.
Obarayese was arraigned before Osogbo Magistrate Court, Osun State, for allegedly making a video recording of the Divisional Police Officer of Dugbe Police Station during the protest.
The journalist was arraigned in court within an hour on two counts of breach of peace for videoing Divisional Police Officer, Oyegbade Akinloye of Dugbe Police Station and assaulting him contrary to Sections 249(5) and 356 of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Laws of Osun State.
However, Obarayese pleaded not guilty to the count pressed against him as the police prosecutor, Inspector Adeoye Kayode, informed the magistrate to withdraw the case saying, “the Commissioner of Police informed me to discontinue the case.
The trial magistrate, A.O. Daramola, granted the request and struck out the case.
Stakeholders in Osun yesterday commended youths for embracing dialogue to drive their agitations.
They gave the commendation at a stakeholders’ summit in Osogbo organised by the Osun Civil Society Movement to mark the one-year anniversary of the EndSARS protest.
The Stakeholders’ Summit was well attended by representatives of youth-led groups, security operatives, media practitioners and government officials, and they harped on the need for immediate fixing of perceived failed institutions in the country.
Osun govt: we will compensate victims of brutality
The Osun State Government has reiterated its commitment to implement recommendations of the Judicial Panel of Inquiry against Police Brutality to compensate victims of last year’s nationwide protest.
The government’s representative, Chief Press Secretary the Governor, Mr Ismail Omipidan during a Stakeholders’ Summit in Osogbo organised by the Osun Civil Society Movement held at Aurora event centre, stated that the implementation of recommendations of the Judicial Panel would be speedily effected as soon as it returns from the initiator, the Federal Government.
He said the state government had concluded all that was necessary in respect of the panel’s recommendations, but awaiting the feedback from the Federal Government that initiated the action.
“The recommendations of the panel had been forwarded to the Federal Government for consideration before the next action would be taken,” Omipidan said.
Youths rally in Ondo
Youths in Akure also joined the #EndSARS protest across the country.
Protesters gathered outside the entrance of the Akure city hall and the Post Office area on Oba Adeshida Road before marching through major streets.
There was heavy deployment of police personnel and men of the Ondo State Security Network, codenamed Amotekun Corps, in strategic places of Akure metropolis.
The protesters chanted songs, demanding the release of those still in detention since last year.
Some of the protesters also demand immediate payment of compensation to those as stipulated by the Ondo #EndSARS panel. They also demanded justice for those allegedly killed during the protest.
Meanwhile, a human rights lawyer, Tope Temokun, said the statement by the police that no street protest would be allowed was done in bad faith.
Security operatives take over Enugu venue
The planned match in Enugu metropolis for the #EndSARS memorial anniversary was frustrated by the state police command, whose officers and men took over the venue of the procession.
The organisers of the event had through the event flyers, said the event would begin with a symposium, which would hold at the Centre for Memories, Independence Layout, Enugu.
The symposium, they had also added, would be followed with a procession to the state government house and the state house of assembly, where petitions, from the activists, would be submitted to the two arms of the state government.
However, our correspondent observed that as early as 8.00a.m. yesterday, no fewer than 12 Hilux Vans were stationed at various points of entry into the Okpara Square and House of Assembly Junction at Independence Layout.
It was also gathered that the police also ordered the managers of the Centre for Memories in Enugu to stop any gathering in their premises, including a planned news conference.
The atmosphere was peaceful as the combined security operatives were strategically positioned at major routes within Independence Layout, while others were on patrol.
Chairman of Enugu State Network of Civil Society Organisations Emmanuel Acha, however, decried what he called the police attempt at gagging the citizens from expressing their rights.
Heavy security presence in Ilorin
The planned protest did not take place in Kwara State yesterday after all.
There was heavy presence of security personnel in Ilorin, the state capital.
As early as 7a.m., a detachment of military and para-military personnel was seen in and around Post Office and Challenge areas of the metropolis.
The security personnel mainly soldiers, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) and members of the police command patrolled streets of the state capital to forestall any untoward incident.
The state police command had earlier warned would-be protesters to leave the state.
Organisers defy police in Edo
Youths in their hundreds yesterday defied the police by peacefully protesting in Benin City and its environs to mark the first anniversary.
The protesters later gathered at Ring Road, near the palace of the Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II, where some of their leaders and victims of the #EndSARS protests made speeches.
Edo police command, on Tuesday evening, had declared that unlawful assembly by “miscreants” would not be allowed by the command, in the guise of marking the first anniversary of October, last year’s #EndSARS protests.
The police Command, through its spokesman, Bello Kontongs, a Superintendent of Police (SP), gave the warning through the telephone.
The undaunted protesting youths, however, demanded automatic employment for the victims of last year’s #EndSARS protests in Edo, the implementation of the submitted report of the judicial panel on inquiry set up by Godwin Obaseki’s administration. They also called for arrested persons still in detention, as a result of the protests, to be unconditionally released.
Personnel from the Department of State Services (DSS), police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and local vigilance groups were also on standby, including members of the Public Works Volunteers (PUWOV) controlling traffic in the busy area.
One of the organisers of the memorial protest, Kola Edokpayi, who is a frontline human rights activist, insisted that Nigerians did not need a police permit before peacefully protesting.
Two of the victims of #EndSARS protests also spoke at the venue of the protest. They were a fashion designer (Miracle Ailenokhoriah), who became bedridden as a result of a gunshot to his right thigh, and Stephen Asekhame, whose left leg was amputated, because of the gunshot from soldiers in Auchi, the headquarters of Etsako West LGA of Edo State.
Peaceful protests in Delta
There was no protests in Asaba, Delta State yesterday. But, it was learnt that youths embarked on a peaceful protest through major streets of Ughelli at about 12noon.
It is, however, unclear whether the botched protests in Asaba metropolis was shelved because of the presence of security operatives or by the announcement by the state government on the eve of the planned protest to implement a N102 million compensation plan for victims.
Commercial activities at the popular Ogbeogonogo and Cable markets went on as usual as residents of Asaba thronged the markets to make purchases.
There was heavy police presence around the DSC roundabout along the East-West road in Warri.
The state government had on the eve of the planned protest said N102, 450,000.00 million will be paid as claims to victims of police brutality and human rights violations.
In a statement on Tuesday by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Patrick Ukah, said the approval of the compensation followed the consideration of the panel’s report by the State Executive Council.
Activists accuse Akwa Ibom of suppressing demonstration
The #EndSARS protest experienced in parts of the country did not hold in Akwa Ibom as youths did not occupy the city centre, popularly known as Ibom Plaza in Uyo.
Commercial activities at the Ibom Plaza went on smoothly under the close watch of soldiers and scores of policemen.
Security operatives were drafted to the Ibom Plaza last year when irate youths gathered to observe the EndSARS protest.
Buildings, including banks, phone shops, supermarkets and Akwa Ibom Broadcasting Corporation, were torched during last year’s protest.
Chairman, Akwa Ibom Human Rights Community, Clifford Thomas, accused the state government of suppressing the protest.
According to him, the government had starved human rights activists of funds, which would have been used to sponsor the protests.
“The government of Udom Emmanuel has deliberately created poverty to neutralise and silence the voice of the people,” he said.
Rivers protesters call for implementation of report
Protesters in Rivers State yesterday called on the Federal Government to implement the outcome of probes of #EndSARS killings of last year.
The youths spoke during a candlelight procession in Port Harcourt in honour of those killed. The event was also used to mark the first anniversary of the hitherto peaceful protest that later turned bloody.
Speaking through one of the conveners of the procession, Comrade Enefaa Georgewill, the organisers said despite the sacrifice of the youths to entrench good governance, nothing has changed.
Georgewill regretted that the police were still unleashing brutality on innocent Nigerians, killing youths over frivolous and trumped-up charges.
They called on the Federal Government to implement the report of the panels on the protest.
Security agencies stop Abia rally
Security operatives yesterday foiled the planned anniversary protest by a group of civil organisations under Action Group on Free Civic Space (AGOFCS) in Aba, the commercial nerve of Abia State.
An umbrella body of civil societies through flyers that circulated in the state on Tuesday night had claimed that they were going to hold the anniversary protest at the popular Brass Junction connecting Faulks Road through Aba-Owerri Expressway, starting from 8a.m. yesterday.
The presence of soldiers from 144 Battalion from Ukwa West Local Government Area, who arrived at the venue of the protest as early as 5a.m., prevented the protesters from converging as earlier proposed.
A combined team of policemen in over five patrol vehicles on Show of Force operation were spotted at different locations in Aba.
Sources at Umuahia, the state capital, said security agencies were seen at different locations to ensure that there was no breach of peace in the town.
