Democratic Socialist Movement Nigeria reporters
On the early afternoon of 20 October, 22 ‘End Bad Governance’ protesters – arrested in Nigeria for marking the murder of ‘EndSARS’ protesters – were released by the police.
The EndSARS struggle of October 2020 was a watershed moment in the history of Nigeria. The Nigerian ruling elites were shocked by the massive protest of young people across the country to demand an end to a rogue unit of the Nigeria Police Force called SARS. Despite the state sponsoring of thugs to attack protesters and the shooting of protesters by the police in various locations, for two weeks young people demonstrated resilience and unity of purpose.
Hassan Taiwo Soweto, organising committee of the End Bad Governance Movement, Lagos State and National Spokesperson of the Youth Rights Campaign, gave this message when he and the others were released:
“We have just been released after the Commissioner of Police came down to the Panti police station pleading hypocritically. The whole brutalisation, assault and arrest happened in his presence.
“He ordered it.
“Obviously the last has not been heard of this. Many of us are injured. One comrade had blood gushing from his nose. Two comrades, a male and female, were sexually molested. A male comrade was stripped naked – we had to find a rope to hold his trousers to preserve his dignity.
“Many are still in shock.
“I had my cloth torn by Officer Nnadi James at Panti police station. This violation of our rights and brutalisation on a day set aside to commemorate a brutal massacre four years ago cannot be tolerated.
“We want justice. We won’t stop until we have it.
“As for the struggle against Tinubu’s anti-poor policies, this assault won’t dissuade us. The struggle continues until victory.”
Recently, Adaramoye Michael Lenin and Mosiu Sodiq were released after almost two months in the captivity of Bola Tinubu’s government. Also freed was Eleojo Opaluwa, a regional officer of the National Union of Electricity Employees. Their abduction and subsequent detention were part of the vicious clampdown on the
#EndBadGovernance protests across the country, especially in Abuja and the northern part of the country.
