Omoyele Sowore, a human rights activist and Convener of the #RevolutionNow Movement, has issued a stern warning that all individuals responsible for the attacks and killings of peaceful protesters during the #EndBadGovernance demonstrations will be made to pay dearly for their actions.
Sowore condemned the unjust treatment of peaceful protesters, who were attacked, killed, arrested, and detained during the 10-day nationwide protest against hunger, hardship, and bad governance under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
He emphasised that those responsible for these egregious crimes against the Nigerian people will be held accountable and face the appropriate legal consequences for their actions.
In an interview with Saturday PUNCH, Sowore, a former presidential candidate of the Africa Action Congress (AAC), urged the President Tinubu-led government to address their demands.
When questioned about the number of protesters killed and arrested during the demonstration, Sowore stated that the organisers have confirmed that 17 people were fatally shot by the Nigeria Police Force.
This contradicts the assertion made by Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, during a joint security press briefing, where he denied any records of police officers killing protesters.
Sowore’s account directly challenges the IGP’s claim, highlighting a discrepancy in the reported casualty figures.
Egbetokun further claimed that the Nigeria Police Force did not deploy officers armed with rifles and live ammunition, nor did they use excessive force against protesters, except for teargas smoke, which was used to disperse the crowds.
Sowore said, “So far, we know of 17 persons murdered in cold blood by the Nigeria Police Force.
“We know of a police officer who was killed by a fellow policeman who rammed a water cannons armoured carrier into his van in Katsina State and an immigration officer who shot himself accidentally in Borno State.
“We will never forget those who have put themselves in the line of fire for the country; those who have been killed, maimed, or injured simply because they came out to exercise their constitutional right to protest peacefully.
“The government was the first to bring violence to the protest. They were the first to use steam water cannons on peaceful protesters in Kano State. The first to fire bullets at protesters armed with nothing but placards.
“We will seek legal redress for the government’s actions on behalf of these unjustly attacked and detained compatriots, and we will never forget.
“One day, everyone who has committed these egregious crimes against the Nigerian people will be made to face the consequences of their crimes and the appropriate legal consequences for their actions.”
Sowore criticised President Tinubu’s address, stating that it failed to propose any concrete actions to alleviate the people’s suffering.
He further described the President’s government as “pathetic, self-centred and not people-focused”.
“That is why we are in this sad state of affairs where the Nigerian people are more impoverished, hungrier, and more despondent about their economic conditions than at any time in our history,” he said.
When asked about the government’s next steps to address the widespread discontent among Nigerians, Sowore emphasised that they must take concrete actions to improve the lives of citizens, saying: “They should start doing the right thing that will make life more abundant for the Nigerian people.
“They should address corruption, create economic opportunities and provide a living wage for workers.
“They should engage in mass employment of young people and resolve the energy crisis all at once.
“They should engage in massive public works and reduce the cost of government.
“They know what should be done but refuse to do it. As I have consistently stated, no one in government today is equipped or willing to do the right thing for Nigerians until they (Nigerians) unite to fight for their existence.”
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