Identity Of Nine #EndSARS Protesters Still In Custody Surface Online

 No fewer than nine peaceful protesters who participated in the October EndSARS protests in Lagos State are languishing in police detention.

It was gathered that through the intervention of human rights activists and civil societies, eight of the protesters were released last week while the nine continued to be detained by the police.

The protesters in custody were identified as Oloto Ramon, Kehinde Aromire, Shina Johnson, Yussuf Olatunji, Osuolale Kabiru, Adeshina Riliwan, Adebayo Abisoye, Ahmmed Lawal, Michel Immanuel.

Human rights groups said the police command would drag them to the Ogba Court 2 on July 26 on trumped-up charges.

“The court date is July 26; these are the remaining names of EndSARS protesters; Oloto Ramon, Kehinde Aromire, Shina Johnson, Yussuf Olatunji, Osuolale Kabiru, Adeshina Riliwan, Adebayo Abisoye, Ahmmed Lawal, Michel Immanuel.

“The police have detained them in Lagos. Only on June 28, three were released due to the new campaign we instituted; Lateef Segun, Danjuma Nashiru, and Bayo Usman,” one of the human rights activists told SaharaReporters.

“Also, Hameed Abubakar, Gafar Olalere, Muri Garuba, Eje Mikel, and Sodiq were released on July 1.”

SaharaReporters on June 23 also reported how the Nigerian Army and the Lagos State Government secretly brought in 20 bodies from the EndSARS Lekki Tollgate protest for autopsies after the October 20, 2020, shootings, which attracted national and international condemnations.

SaharaReporters had learnt that the Lagos State Pathologist, Prof John Obafunwa, made this revelation secretly to members of the Lagos State EndSARS panel sitting in Lekki. 

The source, who is also at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, added that the bodies of the Lekki Tollgate victims had already spent three days in the morgue before they were brought before the Pathologist for an autopsy. 

On June 5, Obafunwa, the consultant pathologist to the Lagos State government, had first revealed that out of a total of 99 bodies examined for autopsy after the #EndSARS protests, three were from Lekki.

In October 2020, Nigerians across the country had stormed the streets to demonstrate against police brutality and bad governance under the #EndSARS campaign.

However, on October 20, soldiers from the Bonny Camp, 81 division, invaded the Lekki tollgate, where some demonstrators had gathered, and fired gunshots.

There has been a controversy around the casualty figures since the incident occurred.

Speaking at the hearing of the judicial panel established to investigate the invasion by soldiers against protesters, Obafunwa had said 99 bodies were received for autopsy between October 20 and 24.

He said out of the 99 bodies received, three were brought in from Lekki.

Obafunwa said the remaining bodies were received from other parts of the state, including Surulere, Ikorodu, Ajah, and Fagba.

SaharaReporters