The #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria Organising committee has called for the immediate dismissal of the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, following the killing of protesters during ongoing demonstrations across the country.
The demand was made during a candlelight symposium held on Friday at the Rights House in Ikeja, Lagos State, in honour of the victims.
The committee, which has been coordinating its activities from the Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park in Ojota, Lagos, had previously declared three days of mourning for those who lost their lives during the protests. The hunger strike initiated by the group to protest against police brutality and economic hardships is now in its ninth day.
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Amnesty International has reported that at least 21 protesters have been killed by Nigerian security forces during the past week of demonstrations. The ongoing #EndBadGovernance protests have drawn national and international attention, with calls for significant reforms in governance and policing.
During the candlelight symposium, Hassan Taiwo, a member of the committee and National Spokesperson for the Youth Rights Campaign, underscored the necessity of removing the IGP from office. “We are demanding the sacking of the Inspector General of Police,” Taiwo stated emphatically, noting that more than 40 people have lost their lives nationwide.
Following the symposium, a candlelight procession organized by the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) was scheduled to begin in Alausa. However, protesters were intercepted by police officers, who redirected them to an alternative route, citing orders from the Lagos State Commissioner of Police.
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In response, Taiwo urged the group to remain steadfast in their peaceful approach but emphasized the need for the protesters to take charge of the procession. “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,” he declared.
The protests, which began as a response to worsening economic conditions and perceived bad governance, have grown in intensity, with the Nigerian government facing increasing pressure from both domestic and international bodies.
Further developments are expected as the situation unfolds.