Edo youths in their hundreds on Wednesday gathered at the popular Oba Ovonramwen Square popularly called Ring Road, Benin City, Edo State capital, to mark the one year anniversary of the #EndSARS protest, organised in 2020 nationwide, to protest against police brutality in the country.
At the Wednesday commemorative rally, the youth demanded automatic employment for the victims of the protest in the state and the implementation of the report of the judicial panel that was set up by the state government.
In addition,they also requested that all those being held in various police detention cells, having been arrested in relation to the 2020 protest, should be released unconditionally.
Unlike the chaos that characterised the 2020 #EndSARS protest, the Wednesday commemorative gathering was peaceful, but that notwithstanding, security personnel drawn from the Nigerian Police, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and members of local vigilante were on ground to ensure peace while members of the Public Works Volunteers (PUWOV) controlled traffic while the peaceful march lasted.
The star attraction at the march was the pitiable sight of two victims of the 2020 protest, Miracle Ailenokhoriah, a fashion designer, who has been bedridden as a result of gunshot to his right thigh and Stephen Asekhame, whose left leg was amputated as a result of gunshot from soldiers in Auchi.
Asekhame who is from Uhonmora narrated his ordeals thus: “During the protest last year on the 19th of October 2020, we in Auchi decided to hold our own peaceful protest, on that day and during the protest, soldiers ran into us and I was hit by a bullet that led to the amputation of my left leg. I was a student then but now I am a graduate and I am supposed to go for service next Sunday.
“I presented my case before the panel through my lawyer but till now, we have not heard anything from the panel”.
Also speaking, Ailenokhoriah, who was chaperoned by his mother, said they were protesting in the Market Square in Ekpoma, when a policeman he identified as Sergeant Ade, shot him.
“Himself (Ade) and other policemen with him started beating men and they said if I die, I will be buried behind the police station. I was later sent to the hospital where I spent three months and now we resorted to traditional treatment but since then, I have not been able to stand up”.
Corroborating her son’s narration, the mother, Betty Odiagbe, said they also sent a petition and appeared before the panel but nothing had come out of it.
Madam Odiage lamented that she had spent all her resources trying to take care of her son and that has made it impossible for her to pay the school fees of her children.
One of the organisers of the memorial rally, Kola Edokpayi said, “I want the state government to implement the recommendations of the panel and the Federal Government should make 20th of October every year as a public holiday to commemorate the #EndSARS protest and give respect to the fallen heroes. These ones here who have been injured should be given automatic employment”.
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President Muhammadu Buhari Friday at State House Abuja urged the MTN Group to make the available top-of-the-range service to its Nigerian subscribers… Edo youths mark one year anniversary of #EndSARS protest Edo youths mark one year anniversary of #EndSARS protest Edo youths mark one year anniversary of #EndSARS protest Edo youths mark one year anniversary of #EndSARS protest.