…Pharmacist Demands Release Of Colleague

Youths mostly drawn from the civil society organistions in Edo State on Wednesday joined their counterparts across the country to mark one year memorial of EndSARS protest of which some youths lost their lives.

The protest which lasted for over two weeks last year, however, turned bloody on 20th of October when security operatives reportedly opened fire on them in their large numbers at Lekki Tollgate, Lagos, where they had gathered to protest against police brutality, bad governance etc.

Scores were reportedly killed in the process while others were taken to detention by the security agents, as quite a number of police stations and other buildings and properties belonging to security agents were burnt and destroyed.

Speaking at the protest ground which held at Benin Museum Park, Oba Ovoramwem Square (Ring Road), one of the protesters, Comrade Kelly Okunbo said one year after the protest nothing has been done.

Okunbo who demanded for the release of those who are still in police detention as a result of the protest, lamented that almost a year after a panel was set up to look into what led to the protest and people that fell victims, not a single implementation has been made to recommendations made by the Edo State Judicial Panel of Enquiry.

“This is almost a year now that the Panel set up submitted its report to governor Godwin Obaseki. It was recommended that the two victims of the protest who are alive and were at the panel be given automatic employment, but till now, nothing has been done. It was recommended that Mr. Stephen who was amputated as a result of gunshot by a soldier at Auchi be given employment, but up till now he is still jobles and walking with crutches. It was recommended that the police officer and soldier who shot miracle and Stephen be dismissed, but till now they are still working freely,” he said.

Also speaking, Asekhame Stephen Ohimai, said he was at the panel with his lawyer to make his submissions and demands but unfortunately nothing has been done.

The graduate of Auchi Polytechnic who is about going for the compulsory one National Youth Service Corps, said himself and other students of the institution were out protesting when men of the Nigerian Army rammed into them and started shooting sporadically of which he received a stray bullet at where he ran to hide, adding that this led to amputation of his leg.

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He narrated: “I came out to join others who were protesting against police brutality and bad governance on the 19th of October when Nigerian Army rammed into our midst and started shooting sporadically, and I ran to hide in place for safety but stray bullet hits my leg and I was rushed to the hospital where I was recommended for amputation. The Doctor Said without amputation, I will not survive, so my leg was amputated. Many persons were killed in that scene.

“I’m going for youth service now. I want government to provide me job because all the things I was running up and down to do before, I can’t do them. So, the government should help me. My lawyer and I were at the panel and made our presentation, but I have not seen anything.”

Another victim, Miracles Ailenokhoriah, who is still in wheelchair as a result of injuries he sustained from police bullet said he was shot last by a police man during the protest at Ekpoma, Edo State, adding that the policemen who brutalised him threatened to beat him to death and that they further threatened to bury him in a shallow grave should he die as a result of the brutality.

A pharmacist who joined the protest with his medical apron, Pharmacist Clinton Ojo-Edokpayi demanded for the release of his pharmacist colleague, Pharm. Solomon Akume, whom according to him was arrested last year after twitting against Buhari.

“Pharmacist Solomon Akume was arrest last year by DSS during the protest after he twitted that the life of President Muhammadu Buhari is no worth than the live of any Nigeria. He was traced and arrested for that twit, and since then he has not been released. I am here to say Akume and other Nigerians in detention should be released,” he demanded.