As protests against hunger and bad governance continue in some parts of Nigeria, Mr Jonson Ojogbane, the Managing Partner of Signature Law Firm and ex-senior prosecutor with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has called for the prosecution of law enforcement agents who shot unarmed and defenceless Nigerians in the course of the protest.
Speaking at the formal opening of Signature Law Firm in Abuja recently, Ojogbane who remarked that the protest was “as a result of the impact the economy is having on Nigerians” added that “nobody is spared.”
“It is unfortunate that people died in this protest. The policemen who recklessly shot at protesters should be brought to book. I know the IG has a team that monitors the work that the police do and if anyone died as a result of this protest, it should be thoroughly investigated.
“If gun-toting officers are found wanting they must face the wrath of the law. There is no justification for shooting peaceful protesters.
“There’s a system to investigate who shot what, at whom and what the circumstances were. When that is done, there will be appropriate punishment meted out to the offending officer.
“I hope our system continues to evolve because I saw the violent protests in London and nobody was shot at. They were using rubber bullets, water cannons, and tear gas to disperse the rioters.
“I hope that Nigeria will one day get to that point where our officers will know that the lives of our people are precious.
“If you are a police officer carrying a gun, it is for the safety of Nigerians and not for their destruction. As much as possible officers should exercise restraint.
“Even when your life is in danger, before you can respond for your safety there must be a commensurate threat. Where there is a commensurate threat to an officer’s life there is no law that forbids him from responding.
“When you shoot someone that is the end of his life.
“No doubt the government is doing the best they can but, Nigerians are groaning under so much pain.
“In the course of the protest, things went wrong. Some hoodlums hijacked the protest. Some of the pictures we saw were not protests. That was anarchy. Looting and destroying shops.
“I hope our leaders assemble enough teams around them that will be passionate about the progress of Nigeria. A team that knows what they want to do, to make Nigeria progress.
“While at EFCC I travelled around the world and saw how countries whose economies and development were low grew because somebody arose in their midst.
“Let’s work for our country. I believe that one day we; ‘ll find a system that will work for our country,” he said.
On Saturday the police fired teargas and live ammunition to disperse some youth who were protesting in the Galadimawa area of Abuja.
The #EndbadGovernace protesters came out at 6:30 a.m.. They were marching from Ebano Supermarket to Galadimawa junction when the police arrived about three hours later and fired teargas and live ammunition to disperse them.
The protesters scampered for safety as a result of the attack, though no life was lost.
“We started at 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. before they scattered us. We started around Ebano supermarket at that junction and matched to the Galadimawa roundabout. Before we could get to the Galadimawa roundabout, police came with their usual trademark and chased us away.
“They didn’t shoot live bullets at us directly, but tear gas was directly fired at us. But since they started shooting guns, no one can tell if they will start killing us if you don’t run.
“We are not scared of teargas and arrest, sir. If they didn’t shoot live bullets, they wouldn’t be able to scatter us. We want to live to see the country we are fighting for. So, we couldn’t face bullets, and that was why we ran.
‘’But today hasn’t marked the end of the protest. We will continue to protest until our demands are attended to. The most essential is the reversal of the removal of fuel subsidy, which is the major reason we are where we are now,” one of the protesters told PREMIUM TIMES.
The 10-day #EndbadGovernace protest against hunger and hardship began on 1 August nationwide and is scheduled to end today, as scheduled.
Last Sunday, President Bola Tinubu addressed the country on his policies and demanded an end to the protests. However, some Nigerians who were not appeased by the speech continued the protest.
