Amnesty International has hailed the release of three #EndSARS protesters by Justice Modupe Nicole-Clay of the Lagos State High Court.
The trio, Sunday Okoro, Olumide Fatai and Oluwole Isa were detained at Kirikiri Medium Correctional Centre, Lagos state for participating in #EndSARS protests in October 2020.
In a statement on Monday, the group faulted the arrest of the protesters adding that the charges were made up
”Sunday Okoro, Olumide Fatai and Oluwole Isa should never have been charged in the first place.”
”They were detained under trumped-up charges ranging from theft, arson, possession of unlawful firearms, and murder for well over three years and five months at Kirikiri Medium Correctional Centre, having previously been detained at the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad unit of the Nigeria Force facility in Lagos state.” the statement read.
The human rights group also called for the release of four others in custody who are yet to undergo trial
”Amnesty International calls on the Nigerian authorities to also release: Daniel Joy-Igbo, Sodiq Adigun, Shehu Anas, and Akiniran Oyetakin – arrested in Lagos in 2020, and still being arbitrarily held in Kirikiri Medium Correctional Centre for over three years. Peaceful #EndSARS protesters Segun Adeniyi, Onuorah Odih, Jeremiah Lucky, Gideon Ikwujomah, Irinyemi Olorunwanbe, Quadri Azeez, Olamide Lekan and Sadiq Riliwan – are still also detained without trial in Ikoyi Medium Security Correctional Centre in Lagos since 2020.”
“Our investigations show that as of October last year, 15 #EndSARS protesters were in detention since October 2020. The Nigerian authorities must provide information about the status of other #EndSARS protesters being held in various prisons across the country, grant their families and lawyers access to them, charge them to court, or release them from detention immediately,” Isa Sanusi, Director Amnesty International Nigeria.”
”Violation of human rights during #EndSARS shows a complete disregard for the right to peaceful assembly. All those detained solely for taking part in peaceful #EndSARS protests must be released immediately and unconditionally.”
”The Nigerian authorities must respect, protect, promote, and fulfil the right to peaceful protest, including by publicly directing security and law enforcement agencies to stop infringing on the right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.”
