The presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, has described the Nigerian police force as “bloodthirsty” following the death of two men during a clash in Ojota, Lagos.
Sowore took to his social media handle on Monday and wrote: “Bloodthirsty Nigeria Police Force reportedly killed two Yoruba Nation agitators at a peaceful rally in Ojota, Lagos today. I totally condemn this unprovoked murder of peaceful demonstrators.”
However, the Lagos State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, only confirmed one person dead in the fracas, adding that some of the rallying individuals had attacked the police.
The PUNCH reports that the self-determination group “Yoruba Nation” gathered at Ojota, Lagos for a rally earlier today, and in the course of this, there was an unrest that led to a fracas between the group and the police.
Also reacting, a lawyer, Tope Temokun, condemned the killing, saying the Nigeria police were not operating with modern approaches.
Temokun said: “The killing at Ojota today is highly condemnable. We call on the government to order the release of those arrested in the course of the protest.”
He condemned the police for going to meet protesters with guns. “We have said oftentimes that these are highly reckless tactics that all civilised nations have dropped behind in their evolutionary history,” he said.
“Nigerian governments at all levels need to respect the life of the citizen and ensure there is adherence to the rule of law in their responses to agitations by the citizens.
“Right to protest peacefully is a right donated by the constitution to the citizens and the police and even the government does not have the powers to take what the constitution has given the citizens.
“There is no food in this country and the citizens are hungry. There is no job. There is no good road. There is no health insurance or assurance. There is no security. The only thing Nigerian citizens can truly claim to have today is their right to expression and right to protest and once the government reacts to the exercise of these rights with bullets, then there is nothing left for the citizens to hold on to as their dividend in a supposed democracy.
“It is the duty of the police to guard peaceful protesters and not to kill them,” he added
He demanded that an official investigation be carried out on the incident and those responsible be brought to book.
