The #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria Organising Committee has called for the removal of Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, in response to the killing of protesters.
This demand was made during a candlelight symposium on Friday, held at the Rights House in Ikeja, Lagos State, to honor the victims.
The committee, based at the Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park in Ojota, Lagos, had previously declared a three-day mourning period for those killed across the country during the ongoing #EndBadGovernance protests.
The hunger strike, initially planned to last ten days, reached its ninth day on Friday.
Amnesty International has accused Nigerian security forces of killing at least 21 protesters during a week of demonstrations against economic hardship.
At the candlelight symposium, Hassan Taiwo, a committee member and National Spokesperson of the Youth Rights Campaign, stressed the need to dismiss the IGP, noting that over 40 people have been killed nationwide. “We are demanding the sacking of the Inspector General of Police,” he declared.
Meanwhile, the CDHR candlelight procession was scheduled to begin in Alausa after the symposium.
However, police officers blocked protesters from continuing to the Alausa area in Lagos State, suggesting an alternative route instead.
Taiwo emphasized the group’s resolve to mourn the deceased, stating that they would not proceed to Alausa due to orders from the Lagos State Commissioner of Police. He encouraged the group to maintain control of the procession, emphasizing that their peaceful stance should not be mistaken for weakness.
He said, “We’ve just been informed by the police that the Commissioner of Police has directed us not to go to Alausa. Comrades, I propose, if you don’t mind, that we take control of this procession ourselves, rather than giving them the chance to dictate our actions. They should not mistake our gentility for cowardice.”