PeakNews Online
The #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria Organising Committee has called for the immediate dismissal of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, following the killing of protesters during ongoing demonstrations across the country.
This demand was made during a candlelight symposium held on Friday at the Rights House in Ikeja, Lagos State, in honour of those who lost their lives in the protests. The committee, which operates from the Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park in Ojota, Lagos, had previously declared three days of mourning for the victims of the protests.
Amnesty International recently reported that Nigerian security forces have killed at least 21 protesters over the past week. The ongoing protests, which began as a ten-day hunger strike, have continued into their ninth day as of Friday, with participants expressing deep dissatisfaction with the nation’s deteriorating economic conditions.
During the symposium, Hassan Taiwo, a member of the committee and National Spokesperson of the Youth Rights Campaign, reiterated the demand for the IGP’s dismissal. “We are demanding the sacking of the Inspector General of Police,” Taiwo stated, noting that more than 40 people have died nationwide.
The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) also planned a candlelight procession in Alausa following the symposium. However, police officers intervened, preventing the protesters from heading to Alausa and suggesting an alternative route instead.
Taiwo urged the group to maintain control of the procession, stressing the importance of their peaceful approach. “We’ve just been informed by the police that the Commissioner of Police has directed us not to go to Alausa. Comrades, I propose that we take control of this procession ourselves, rather than allowing them to dictate our actions. They should not mistake our gentility for cowardice,” he said.
The protests continue as citizens demand better governance and an end to economic hardships in Nigeria.
