A High Court in the Federal Capital Territory has stopped the prosecution of Pastor Sam Adeyemi of Daystar Christian Centre, Burna Boy, Davido, Falz, activist Deji Adeyanju and others over the #EndSARS protest.
The High Court ordered a Magistrate court to immediately stop proceedings and stay action against 50 persons who supported the #EndSARS protests, following a criminal complaint filed by lawyer Kenechukwu Okeke.
Okeke in his suit alleged that during the riot, properties were destroyed and the defendants who promoted the #EndSARS protests must be held responsible for it and also brought to justice.
Justice Bello Kawu who delivered a judgement on the application filed by Activist Deji Adeyanju (one of the defendants) for a judicial review of the substantive matter before the magistrate, said;
“An order of this honourable court granting leave to the application to issue and serve on the defendant an application for judicial review against the proceedings/direct criminal complaint of Hon. Omolola Tolulope Akindele sitting at Chief Magistrate Court II, Wuse Zone 6 in the suit of Kenechukwu Okeke Vs Deji Adeyanju and 49 others in suit No. CR/49/2020.
“An order of this honourable court, that on the grant of the above orders herein, serve as stay of all proceedings on the direct criminal complaint Omolola Tolulope Akindele sitting at Chief Magistrate Court II, Wuse Zone 6 in the suit of Kenechukwu Okeke Vs Deji Adeyanju and 49 others in suit no. CR/49/2020.
“An order of this honourable court, that on the grant of the above orders herein, same order as granted by the honourable court shall restrain the Nigeria Police Force, 2nd and 3rd defendants from taking any further steps, arresting and or taking any unconstitutional/illegal steps in the form of any guise as it concerns the subject matters whatsoever before this court herein as it concerns all parties in the proceedings.”
BBNaija 2019 winner Mercy Eke has taken to social media to ask for forgiveness from Nigerians over her latest behavior.
Mercy took to her Instagram live to ask everyone she has offended to forgive her as she states that she has learnt from her mistakes.
She also pleaded with her fans to ignore troll and lead with love while acknowledging that she has made some mistakes and have learnt from them.
Watch video below;
Recall that Mercy was dragged by Nigerians recently for saying she’s better and richer than mostof her reality stars which led to people saying she brags a lot.
Apparently the only female winner of BBNaija show has reflected on the situation and is ready to make amends.
A monarch who was forced out of his palace during the #EndSARS protest has returned.
Rilwan Akiolu, the Oba of Lagos returned to the palace on Friday, two months after the invasion by a mob.
In October, there were demonstrations against police brutality across the country, organised under the #EndSARS campaign.
However, hoodlums had hijacked the protest and launched attacks on various public and private buildings across the country.
On October 21, 2020, after the #EndSARS protest had degenerated into a crisis in some states including Lagos, a mob had broken into the palace despite the presence of soldiers, and attempted to set fire to the premises.
However, military officers intervened and Akiolu was rescued from the palace, while buildings within the premises were vandalised.
Akiolu’s staff of office was also seized, and a young man was later seen in a video on social media, running away with the item.
The staff of office was later said to have been found.
The Lagos council of obas described the invasion as a “sacrilege”, just as other individuals and organisations condemned the attack.
Confirming the Oba’s return after 10 weeks, Oreoluwa Finnih, senior special assistant to the Lagos governor on health, tweeted that the monarch returned to the Iga Idunganran palace on Friday.
She also posted a video on her handle, which showed the traditional ruler wearing a face mask and dancing — he was also surrounded by persons who appeared to be other title holders, praise singers, and guards.
“Our daddy is back home… Oba of Lagos, HRM, Alayeluwa Oba Rilwan Babatunde Osuolale Aremu Akiolu’s triumphant entry to Iga Idunganran Palace, today, Friday, 1st January, 2021,” a post on Finnih’s handle reads.
“@eniola_opeyemi: Oba Akiolu returns to palace after two months aftermath ENDSARS protests
— 𝐆𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜 (@Gidi_Traffic) January 2, 2021
After over two months after he escaped from an attack on his palace, The Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, has returned to his palace, Iga Idungaran, Lagos Island.@Gidi_Traffic pic.twitter.com/LA2BeJciNM
President Muhammadu Buhari has stated that he is disgusted with the coverage of EndSARS protests by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and America’s Cable News Network (CNN).
The President said this at a meeting with state governors at the presidential villa in Abuja on Tuesday December 8.
Buhari in a statement released by his spokesman Garba Shehu, accused CNN and BBC of failing to report about the killing of police officers and attacks on police stations and prisons.
He said;
“I was disgusted by the coverage, which did not give attention to the policemen that were killed, the stations that were burnt, and prisons that were opened. (They said we are all at fault. We don’t have the sympathy of anyone. We are on our own)."
The President also warned that his government would no longer allow violent demonstrations in Nigeria as “democracy does not mean confusion or lack of accountability.”
Some youths under the aegis of Face of#EndSARS Movement, on Monday, held a protest in Osogbo, Osun State capital.
They marched through the streets of Osogbo to the Osun State House of Assembly, demanding an audience with the leadership of the Assembly.
The protesters led by Emmanuel Adebisi demanded good governance among other things.
Details later…
The Federal Government through the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed says it has met the five demands of the End SARS protesters.
The Minister said this during a stakeholders’ meeting with members of the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON) in Abuja.
Mohammed while speaking to the organization, stated that the demands made by End SARS protesters, such as the immediate release of all arrested protesters, justice for all deceased victims of police brutality and appropriate compensation for their families has been fulfilled.
The minister also noted that the Federal Government responded not only to the demands of the End SARS protesters but was also very responsible in handling their requests. “As you can see, ladies and gentlemen we met the five demands,” he said.
Lai Mohammad said that the EndSARS protesters also requested that an independent body oversees the investigation and prosecution of all reports of police misconduct within ten days and the increase of Police salary have been met by the Federal Government. Akinwumi Adesina, the president of the African Development Bank (AfDB), has defended Yakubu Gowon over allegations that he looted the CBN when he was overthrown in 1975.
Few days back, a member of the United Kingdom parliament, Tom Tugendhat, Yakubu Gowon, stole half of the Central bank of Nigeria, CBN.
Speaking at the parliament’s debate on the #EndSARS crisis on Monday, the lawmaker alleged that Gowon stole the money while he was leaving office and moved to London.
The MP disclosed that some Nigerian politicians have stolen from the coffers of the government and moved to London to hide their loot. He, however, asked the UK government to call out the corruption in Nigeria and use its power to stop the looting happening in Africa’s most populous country, Politics NGR reports.
Tugendhat also asked the British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, and the UK parliament to stop corrupt Nigerian politicians from profiting from the wealth of Nigeria and hiding it in England. He also urged the UK government to stop funding some Nigerian security agencies which he described as corrupt.
However, Adesina who is Nigeria’s former minister of agriculture described the allegation as misinformation in a tweet he posted on Thursday, November 26. He wrote;
“Be careful of misinformation! H.E. General Yakubu Gowon, Nigeria’s former Head of State, is a man of great honour, decency, honesty, amazing simplicity, humility and integrity. I know him. A great and admirable elder statesman of Nigeria. His honesty and integrity are impeccable.”
Be careful of misinformation! H.E. General Yakubu Gowon, Nigeria’s former Head of State, is a man of great honour, decency, honesty, amazing simplicity, humility and integrity. I know him. A great and admirable elder statesman of Nigeria. His honesty and integrity are impeccable. pic.twitter.com/YznYN873qH
— Akinwumi A. Adesina (@akin_adesina) November 26, 2020
Former Nigerian Military leader, Yakubu Gowon, has denied claims of stealing ''half of the Central Bank of Nigeria''.
Recall that on Monday, November 23, the UK parliament debated a petition seeking to impose sanctions on Nigerian Government officials involved in the shooting incident that occurred during the Endsars protest in Lekki on October 20.
During the debate, the Conservative MP Tom Tugendhat, a member of the parliament, urged his government to place sanctions on Nigerians who flee to the UK with ill-gotten wealth. He also spoke about Nigeria’s former military ruler, Yakubu Gowon’s alleged looting of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
He said;
“What we are seeing in Nigeria today is part of that story. It is a tragedy we are all witnessing because we see things falling apart.
“The problem this time is not foreign pressure known as colonialism. The pressure instead is corruption and violence and attempts at control (of power).
“We need to call out the corruption, we need to use the powers that we have in this country to stop those who are profiting from the wealth of that great nation and hiding it here.
“Now some people will remember when general Gowon left Nigeria, he took half of the Central Bank, so it is said, and moved to London.
“We know today, even now in this great city of ours, there are sadly some people who have taken the wealth of Nigerian people and hidden their ill-gotten gains here.
“We know that our banks sadly have been used for that profit or that illegal transfer of asset and that means that the UK is in a unique position in being able to actually do something to really exert pressure on those who have robbed Nigerians."
However, in an exclusive interview with the BBC, Gowon described the allegations as ''Rubbish''
“What the MP said is rubbish. I don’t know where' he got that rubbish from, I served Nigeria diligently and my records are there for all to see.
I did not want to speak on this issue because people that know me know that what the MP said is not true'' he said
After leaving power in a bloodless coup in 1975, Gowon went to the UK and enrolled at Warwick University as an undergraduate where' he studied political science and international relations.
Lai Mohammed has reacted to the UK Parliament's call for sanctions against the Nigerian government over reports of alleged human right abuses during the #EndSARS protest.
The minister of information and culture who reacted to this in an interview with NTA on Wednesday November 25, stated that the federal government is not panicking over the demand.
Lai Mohammed who stressed that the entire #EndSARS protest was fuelled by fake news, added that no serious government will take a decision such as imposing sanctions based on ''fake news.''
He said;
“We earlier stated that government all over the world who have taken hasty decisions about Nigeria on this issue should please seek the truth.
“If the decision of any government all over the world is based on fake news, it is very risky. It brings me to the issue of the UK parliament resolution. We are not panicking at all as a government for two reasons – the resolution of the UK parliament is not the decision of the country and no serious government will take a decision such as imposing sanctions based on fake news.
“This is why we are warning foreign countries to seek the truth and beware of fake news. The entire #EndSARS protest was fuelled by fake news.”
Amid threats of sanction from the Federal Government over its investigative report on the shootings at Lekki toll plaza during the #EndSARS protests, CNN has released a second report on the incident.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, had last week described CNN’s report on the Lekki shootings as poor journalism, adding that the network deserved to be sanctioned.
Mohammed also followed up the threat with a letter addressed to the management of CNN in Atlanta.
However, the network on Tuesday did a second report with more damning footage showing soldiers shooting at unarmed protesters on October 20, 2020.
The fresh report also shows the Commander, 81 Division, Brig.Gen Ahmed Taiwo, admitting before the judicial panel in Lagos that his men indeed took live ammunition to the tollgate.
The CNN report also highlights the fact that Brig.Gen Taiwo’s claim is at variance with the minister’s who had claimed last week that the army fired blank bullets.
The fresh report also shows protesters running as soldiers open fire at the tollgate.
The National Broadcasting Commission, which is overseen by the information minister, had last month slammed hefty fines on three Nigerian television stations for daring to use some of the footage which CNN has also used.
The Federal Government has been receiving flak from members of the United Kingdom Parliament and Amnesty International over the killing of protesters.
The Federal Government has asked the American based news outlet, the Cable News Network (CNN) to reexamine its investigative report on the Lekki shootings.
In a letter dated November 23 and addressed to Jonathan Hawkins, VP, communications, CNN, Lai Mohammed, minister of information, said the report “did not just fall short of journalistic standards but reinforces the disinformation that is going around on the issue”.
He said CNN failed to show a balanced reportage but rather relied “heavily on manipulated social media videos” adding that the inciting report is capable of setting the country on fire.
“Our attention has been drawn to an ‘investigation’ by CNN, entitled ‘How a Bloody Night of Bullets Quashed a Young Protest Movement’ and aired on 18 Nov. 2020, in which the international news organization said it had ”uncovered that Nigerian security forces opened fire on unarmed protesters” at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos, Nigeria, during the #EndSARS protest,” the letter read.
“In the first instance, the report did not live up to the most basic of the core principles of journalism – balance and fairness.
“Rushing to air such a momentous story without presenting the government’s side is inexcusable and indefensible. CNN said it contacted over 100 protesters and family members, but did not speak to one official of Nigeria’s federal government. While CNN said there was no response from the army and that officials of Lagos State would not speak in view of the Judicial Panel that is investigating the matter, it did not say what effort it made to speak with any official of the federal government.
“The truth is that CNN did not even attempt to reach the federal government. Nima Elbagir, who presented the report and most probably led the investigation, is conversant with the Minister of Information and Culture, yet did not say that she even tried to reach the Minister.
“Another serious breach by CNN, in its ‘investigation’, is that the network relied heavily on unverified footages it harvested from social media. CNN was not present at the Lekki Toll Gate on the night of the incident. Neither its reporter nor cameraman was there, but it relied on eyewitnesses.
“CNN has said it stands by its story, and that ‘our reporting was carefully and meticulously researched’, this is baffling, considering that the story lacks fairness and balance, as we have pointed out, and that the organization relied heavily on manipulated social media videos. This resort to an escapist cliche seems more like a face-saving measure by an otherwise respectable news network caught in the blinding glare of ‘fake news and disinformation’ headlamps.
“CNN, in its rush to nail soldiers and tell a ‘radically different story’, conveniently left out these parts of the Godson video, which could have shown that armed hoodlums invaded the Lekki Toll Gate that night, and could have hit any of the protesters as they shot sporadically. This is clearly a ploy by the CNN reporter/presenter to manipulate viewers of its ‘investigative’ report and force them to draw the reporter’s desired conclusion!
“As a form of remediation, Nigeria’s Federal Government demands an immediate and exhaustive investigation from CNN into its ‘investigative’ report on the Lekki Toll Gate incident to determine, among others, its authenticity, whether or not it met the basic standards of journalism and also the selective use of unverified social media videos to manipulate public opinion. While it is up to CNN to accede or not, please note that the Federal Government reserves the right to take any action within its laws to prevent CNN from aggravating the #EndSARS crisis with unprofessional, irresponsible, one-sided, inciting and sensational reporting that is capable of pitching Nigerians against themselves and setting the country on fire.”
The Judicial Panel of Inquiry set up by the Lagos state government, continued to examine the October 20 CCTV footage from the Lekki tollgate.
The panel was constituted to investigate police brutality and also the shooting incident at the Lekki tollgate on Tuesday, October 20.
At today's sitting, the panel continued to review the CCTV footage obtained from the Lekki Concession Company for October 20.
The footage reviewed showed that the scene was calm until about 6.43pm when people could be seen running towards the tollgate from the Oriental Hotel end. Two minutes later, at 6.45pm, military trucks with flashing headlights arrived the scene. There were no fewer than seven of them. At 6.53pm, about 10 minutes after the arrival of the military vehicles, the tollgate went into a blackout.
Two minutes later, at 6.55pm, one of the military vehicles drove through the tollgate to the other end where' the crowd of protesters was gathered.
Watch the videos shared below
12:00 At about 18:12, the crowd is growing at the toll gate. More people actually arrived after the 4PM curfew time (although the curfew did get push to 9PM).
— Editi Effiòng (@EditiEffiong) November 21, 2020
Still no hoodlums. pic.twitter.com/n0UYodDiAW
12:22 It’s now 18:37 on the video. People are milling around, nothing serious going on.
— Editi Effiòng (@EditiEffiong) November 21, 2020
In a way, it feels like the quiet before the storm. Military is believed to have arrived about 18:55.
That’s also when it’s believed the LCC staff took over manual camera control. pic.twitter.com/YNpaiLHhZU
12:29 Scratch last tweet. 18:41 is about when the military arrived. pic.twitter.com/9N7tw52o6d
— Editi Effiòng (@EditiEffiong) November 21, 2020
12:30 At 18:43, protesters running away, not stoning the military as has been alleged. pic.twitter.com/dX8tB0Or0g
— Editi Effiòng (@EditiEffiong) November 21, 2020
12:36 As at 18:48, the video is being handled manually. You can see from the changes that it’s no longer preset.
— Editi Effiòng (@EditiEffiong) November 21, 2020
LCC had claimed all staff left the facility. The video shows this to be untrue.
Also, power is off in only one section - the security lights. All other lights on. pic.twitter.com/70aOAaEf4Y
12:38 The guy showing the video has technical challenges. The audience starts “Something is wrong”. People here are highly suspicious of government.
— Editi Effiòng (@EditiEffiong) November 21, 2020
But the video is back. 18:49 military are sweeping the area. Some protesters run away. Others gather (this video is silent). pic.twitter.com/ezoXhsY5JC
12:43 Please note the image from the video. The lights on the express lane are still on, while the lights near the toll gate are off.
— Editi Effiòng (@EditiEffiong) November 21, 2020
18:52 pic.twitter.com/HCszSo1zWk
12:45 At about 18:52, the video was switched to black and white format. While we lost colour, we can also see clearly.
— Editi Effiòng (@EditiEffiong) November 21, 2020
The video is fully manual. There is power at the toll gate. pic.twitter.com/ykQ7PXt4N0
12:47 We just saw the 18:56 moment when the lights on the express lane and beyond were turned off.
— Editi Effiòng (@EditiEffiong) November 21, 2020
Some military trucks have crossed to the protesters’ side of the toll. A bullet is seen flying though the air. From what we were told, blanks don’t have that kind of trajectory. pic.twitter.com/ytqCj2ZYSI
12:52 About 19:00 is the last stand. The military move in and the crowd starts dispersing.
— Editi Effiòng (@EditiEffiong) November 21, 2020
Lower right of the screen are soldiers moving into position as protesters vacate. This matches what was seen in social media videos. pic.twitter.com/2YN9L81IUc
12:54 At about 19:04 the military have almost complete control of the central area where' protesters were.
— Editi Effiòng (@EditiEffiong) November 21, 2020
Protesters have run to the far left and are mostly moving towards Lekki. Soldiers take over vacated space.
(Vehicles with blinking lights are military). pic.twitter.com/tHGckl0wqb
12:57 At 19:06, we have 4 military vehicles in formation, pushing the protesters out of the toll gate area, with only one way to go - Lekki.
— Editi Effiòng (@EditiEffiong) November 21, 2020
The vehicle top right ensures protesters don’t cross to the side near Shoprite. pic.twitter.com/zvv9jJhtVB
13:00 We are looking at 19:09 on the video. While a most of the protesters have run towards Lekki, a small group is huddled by the toll gate (lower centre), right where' they were before.
— Editi Effiòng (@EditiEffiong) November 21, 2020
We suspect this was the group where' DJ Switch was.
Military vehicles now facing that crowd. pic.twitter.com/1JnfFi3mzB
13:04 It is now 19:14 on the video. The military vehicles have surrounded the small crowd. One vehicle is high up Lekki Expressway (top right). This will be important later.
— Editi Effiòng (@EditiEffiong) November 21, 2020
Also important to note vehicle lights are pointed away from the crowd. There’s still power at toll gate. pic.twitter.com/rR63sahXf0
13:11 An important point in the video - 19:22. On the top right, a large dynamic light source is seen top right.
— Editi Effiòng (@EditiEffiong) November 21, 2020
That is a fire, and the military vehicle is right beside it. Recall the vehicle up the highway.
The military was in control of the area when the fire started. pic.twitter.com/sKOj4icwwT
13:16 We have just seen the gun flares in the direction of the protesters - 19:23.
— Editi Effiòng (@EditiEffiong) November 21, 2020
Protesters now running toward the lagoon side of the plaza.
Please note that nothing is certain from this video orientation and resolution. pic.twitter.com/8P4xP8ufhO
13:21 The room is rather quiet. It’s hard to believe we are watching what we obviously are.
— Editi Effiòng (@EditiEffiong) November 21, 2020
19:23 At this point, the military is in control of the area. There’s power at the toll, but no security lights on. The camera is manually operated.
The fire up the road is growing. pic.twitter.com/djD1qzG69W
A Nigerian man, Uyi, has tattooed the date of the Lekki tollgate shooting on his chest.
Uyi was one of the Lagos state residents who participated in the #EndSARS protest at the Lekki tollgate.
He recently got a tattoo that speaks about the shooting incident at the tollgate which happened on Tuesday, October 20. To mark the one month anniversary of the unfortunate incident, Uyi posted a photo of the tattoo on his Instagram page and wrote
''Exactly one month today our government is still lying about the innocent protesters they killed at LEKKI TOLL GATE!!!! Who Gave The ORDER? #endsars#endbadgovernmentinnigeria #fuckthepolicians #wewantjustice #themarathoncontinues''he wrote
See photo of the tattoo below
Lekki CCTV footage being played on Friday
The government of Nigeria has insisted that no mass killings took place at the Lekki toll gate.
According to The PUNCH, the Federal Government on Thursday insisted that there were no mass killings at the Lekki toll gate in the wake of the #EndSARS protests contrary to the general belief.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, said this at a press conference in Abuja.
Mohammed said those who alleged massacre at the toll gate only succeeded in misleading the world.
He said while government awaits the outcome of the panel investigating the matter, “we can say that the world has just witnessed a massacre without bodies” in Lekki.
The minister insisted that the military did not shoot at protesters at the toll gate.
He asked anyone who has contrary proofs to make them available to the panel investigating the matter.
Mohammed said the government was satisfied with the way security agencies handled the protests.
The minister took a swipe at CNN for its piece on the Lekki incident, describing it as “blatantly irresponsible.”
He called for a sanction for the foreign media organisation but did not disclose where' the sanction should come from.
Details later…
Nigerian Disc Jokey Obianuju Catherine Udeh popularly known as DJ Switch has described President Muhammadu Buhari’s government as a dictatorship with a democratic face.
During an interview with Becky Anderson on CNN on Wednesday, DJ Switch said, “Nigeria is a dictatorship with a democratic face. I think that it is primarily to please the international community. It is our right to protest for the change that we demand.”
“This government has used force from the beginning. They started with infiltrating a peaceful protest with things but that did not work. Then they moved to bring the military in.”
DJ Switch also called on Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to say the truth about the shooting of the EndSARS protesters at Lekki toll gate on Tuesday, October 20.
“They know the truth and they have conflicting stories with each other. Nigerians have died and this is not a time to play games. Families are looking for their loved ones. The governor owes a responsibility to the citizens of Lagos State to say the truth,”she added.
”Nigeria is a dictatorship with a democratic face.” – DJ Switch speaks to CNN from hiding, talks about the horrors she witnessed at #endSARS protest, and why she can’t trust the Nigerian government.
_____#LekkiMassacre #LekkiGenocide Somto Klaypic.twitter.com/CVHAqoPk9e
— Lailasnews.com (@Lailasnews_com) November 19, 2020
Reno Omokri, a former presidential aide and rights activist, has maintained that President Muhammadu Buhari should be impeached.
The outspoken public speaker stated that the President has violated his oath of office.
He made the statement in reaction to the investigative report made by CNN on the October 20 shootings of peaceful unarmed #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki toll gate in Lagos.
In his Twitter post, Omokri maintained that Buhari and his Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Yusuf Buratai, must face the International Criminal Court for “their crimes against humanity”.
Omokri further stated that the report from CNN vindicates those, including himself, who maintained from the onset that there was a massacre at the Lekki toll shooting.
“The @CNN investigation has vindicated those of us who were consistent that there was a #LekkiMassacre of peaceful, unarmed #EndSARS protesters. The next stage is very much on course. Both Generals @MBuhari and Buratai must face the @IntlCrimCourt for their crimes against humanity,” Omokri tweeted.
The @CNN investigation has vindicated those of us who were consistent that there was a #LekkiMassacre of peaceful, unarmed #EndSARS protesters. The next stage is very much on course. Both Generals @MBuhari and Buratai must face the @IntlCrimCourt for their crimes against humanity
— Reno Omokri (@renoomokri) November 18, 2020
Recall that the government and army have both denied that the soldiers killed any protester at the toll, maintaining till date that no live ammunition was used.
This came after initially deny the presence of the soldiers, arguing that the Instagram Live video by celebrity, DJ Switch was “photoshopped.” The army went on to say that they were invited to the scene by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State.
A businessman based in Onitsha has revealed how operatives of the defunct Special Anti Robbery Squad, SARS killed his brother and made them bury him without his corpse.
The man identified as Obiora Akabike revealed this before the Anambra State panel of inquiry on Police brutality, extra judicial killings and other related matters on Tuesday.
Akabike said his 24 year old brother, Ekene Akabike was killed by the State Anti-Robbery Squad SARS in 2004The deceased, according to the brother, hailed from Ifitedunu, Dunukofia local government area of State and a Final Year student of Statistics at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Unizik AwkaHe said the victim was arrested in 2004 when the defunct unit of police allegedly came to arrest one Chinedu.
According to him:
“they told me they arrested him when they came to arrest the son of the owner of the lodge where' he lived at Awka while schooling at Unizik.
“I am living at Nkpor in Onitsha. They didn’t tell me why he was arrested. I demanded to see him.
“And they told me ‘we have wasted the young man.’ When I demanded to see his corpse, they refused to release it to me till date.
“We have to conduct a funeral for him after waiting without reply from SARS. Here is the condolence register signed by sympathisers.”
“After a source confided to the family that Ekene died under SARS custody on 3rd June 2004, we in accordance with custom of Igbo land, printed posters and conducted his funeral rite on July 2004 although his corpse was not found.
He added that the death of Ekene, who according to him was their last child, caused their mother an undisclosed ailment which equally led to her untimely death. Eromosele Omosele Adene have been granted bail by the honorable Magistrate O.A. Salawu.
Recall that Eromosele was arraigned at the Yaba magistrate court, today, November 17 for participating at EndSARS Protest.
According to online reports, family members and journalists were prevented from entering the court premises as heavy police men gained the court area.
This came after Eromosele Adene slept in police custody for 10 days after he was arrested from his home on November 7.
However, the Yaba Magistrates Court has granted bail to Eromosele Adene and the bail set at N1 million with two sureties required.
The magistrate said it was important that Eromosele’s fundamental right not be infringed upon in the interest of justice.
Following the bail announcement, over eight Police vehicles filled with police officers left the court premises moments ego.
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