The #ENDSARS protests which wreaked havoc across the country three weeks ago, seeks an end to police brutality and human rights abuses. But with new developments unfolding, KEHINDE OSASONA writes that it appears both NHRC and NBA are poised to end the scourge.
The rage
The now rested #EndSARS protests started initially as a small, but well organised youth demonstration in Lagos. However, it later turned bloody at the Lekki toll gate when some soldiers allegedly opened fire at the protesters.
While it lasted, the peaceful protests had in attendance leading celebrities, activists, social commentators and concerned citizens, who all used the occasion to demand wider police reforms and an end to police brutality.
Before it snowballed into uncontrollable demonstrations, the supposed protests it was learnt was an invention of young Nigerians, which was conceived to demand for good governance in the country.
After the rage, there was destruction of lives and property as well as reports of looting perpetuated by elements disguised as real protesters.
Although the number of deaths from the almost incident is yet to be ascertained nationwide, there were reports of killings and maiming across the country.
Midway into the confusion, some states imposed curfew to curtail further destruction of lives and property.
In the same vein, there were panels of enquiry set up by virtually all the affected states to ascertain the remote and immediate causes of the fracas.
Although the campaign for the disbandment of the dreaded SARS started sometime in 2017, the forceful combination of social media campaign and avowed determination of victims of police brutality reportedly aided the arson that followed.
Even though many observers have condemned the mayhem that followed the protests, some others believed the development might have sent a strong message to erring police officers, the ruling class and the elite.
A pointer to that was the public apologies made by the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, who admitted that government had not acted fast enough to address young people’s concerns.
But away from the government stance on the issue, what does the development signify for endless and gross abuse of human rights in Nigeria?
Rights violation and matters arising
Sometime this year, during a webinar programme organised in honour of foremost civil rights advocate and former chairman of the Governing Board of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, two Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Mr. Tunde Fagbohunlu and Mr. Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, as well as leading human rights defenders called on activists to redouble their efforts to stop further violations of rights in the country.
Speaking on the ‘Future of Human Rights in Nigeria’, Fagbohunlu noted that even though violations of rights continued, there was a cause for celebration.
According to him, a significant milestone has been achieved in the fight against human rights violations, despite all the odds.
But for Adegboruwa, he was not so optimistic. He said the gains recorded by activists in the past had been eroded, and that the current administration which adopted a policy of hiding under national security has violated people’s rights.
He said: “I am afraid. The future of human rights in Nigeria is very bleak. Government is hiding under the fight against corruption to trample on people’s rights.”
Adegboruwa said the Administrative of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) “is being used to detain people in violation of their rights. Under this government, rule of law has given way to national security.”
“This government is trying to change the narrative. Judges are being intimidated. Some of them are afraid.
Journalists are being hounded. People’s properties are being seized arbitrarily. We are losing the battle against human rights violations,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Presidential Investigation Panel on allegations of human rights violations has submitted its report to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN.
The panel has also called for the prosecution of 35 police officers indicted in a report of the Presidential Investigation Panel on allegations of human rights violations against the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
NHRC had earlier established an independent panel to investigate cases of police brutality by SARS as a way of addressing the demands of protesters.
While making the call at the handing over ceremony of the report, the NHRC who is championing the cause equally advocated for implementation of the report.
Its executive secretary, Mr. Tony Ojukwu, stated that the report, among other things, contained names of 35 policemen who served under the disbanded SARS.
The Commission which urged the AGF to consider their prosecution in accordance with the law, added: “The submission of the report to the AGF is a gratifying point to the Commission which went round the six geopolitical zones of the country to listen to various complaints by Nigerians against the then SARS. There were discoveries and all were encapsulated in the report.”
AGF’s assurances
While formally receiving the report, Malami assured the panel that the government would implement the report in such a way that justice would be served to all the parties concerned, saying that justice “is not a one-way traffic.”
“We have a mandate to establish a constitutional order where the welfare and peaceful co-existence of citizens are prioritised against personal or group interest.
The current administration had in the past put modalities in place to give the Police the support they need to improve their welfare and do their work professionally,” he said.
Suspects’ arrest and IGP’s stance
Meanwhile, as part of its resolve to bring culprits of the #Endsars protest to justice, the Inspector General of Police Mohammed Adamu has stated that at least 1,596 suspects had been arrested in connection with the violence and widespread looting across the country.
Adamu, who disclosed this while during a virtual conference with senior police officers in Abuja, added that statistics collated between October 11, 2020, when the protests assumed a national dimension and October 27, 2020, indicated that 14 states recorded major violence leading to attacks on critical security infrastructure and other corporate and private properties as well as injuries or fatalities to civilians, the police and other security agents.
“The states include Lagos, Edo, Delta, Oyo, Kano, Plateau, Osun, Ondo, Ogun, Rivers, Abia, Imo, and Ekiti states and the FCT. In total, 71 public warehouses and 248 privately owned stores were looted in the course of the protests nationwide.
“A total of 51 civilian fatalities and 37 civilian injuries have been recorded, while a total of 22 policemen were gruesomely murdered with 26 others injured by the protesters.
“Furthermore, 205 critical national security assets, corporate facilities and private property were attacked, burnt or vandalised.
So far, a total of 10 firearms including eight AK-47 rifles carted away during the attack on police stations, and a locally made pistol have been recovered from elements operating under the guise of the ENDSARS protesters.
“In addition, 1,596 suspects have so far been arrested in connection with the violence and widespread looting by the protesters across the country. The breakdown shows that 520 suspects were arrested in Lagos; 367 in Plateau state; 210 in the FCT and 142 in Kwara state.
Similarly, 82 suspects were apprehended in Osun state; 60 in Adamawa state and 36 in Kano and Ogun states, respectively.
Thirty-three suspects were arrested in Edo state; 20 each in Kaduna and Akwa Ibom states; 15 in Abia and Delta states and 13 in Oyo and Ekiti states, respectively.
Furthermore, 10 suspects were arrested in Rivers state and four in Ondo state. Out of these figures, not less than 1,117 have been charged to court across the country.”
The NBA’s Riot Act
But irked by the killing of protesters of #ENDSARS at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) condemned what it described as Lekki Massacre, calling for the prosecution of the culprits.
In a statement by the president of the association, Olumide Akpata, the NBA insisted that even though the protesters were in breach of the curfew imposed by the Lagos state government, such a misdemeanor or breach did not warrant the use of live ammunition by the Nigerian military to confront otherwise peaceful, unarmed and defenseless protesters.
The statement partly read in part: “The NBA strongly condemns this act of recklessness and lawlessness by the security apparatus of the government in what, based on reports available to us, appears to have been a carefully calculated and premeditated attack.”
