By Jimmy Fatunbi
The Organised Civil Society of Nigeria says, according to data obtained through its Civil Society Protest Monitoring Situation Room, 21 persons had been killed, while 1,154 others were arrested by the police on the first day of the #EndBadGovernance nationwide protests.
In a press release signed by the Head of the Coordinating Secretariat of the United Action Front of Civil Society, Olawale Okunniyi, on Friday, the group stated that 175 persons sustained injuries.
Okunniyi stated that 18 states, including Lagos, Yobe, Zamfara, Borno and the FCT recorded cases of police brutality and violence, while only eight states, namely Plateau, Taraba, Ebonyi, Edo, Benue, Nasarawa and Ogun, recorded peaceful protests.
The group said the data, received from field volunteers, revealed contrary realities to the assurances given by the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, adding that the “reckless” show of force by the Police was “unacceptable.”
However, some of the official figures released by the police showed that more than 500 protesters were arrested in at least six states.
Out of the figure, 320 protesters were arrested in Kano, 18 in Yobe, 50 in Katsina, 81 in Sokoto, five in Abuja, and 25 in Kaduna, as confirmed by the police commands in the states.
Meanwhile, a coalition of lawyers has secured the release of 15 protesters arrested by the police in different parts of Lagos.
A member of the legal team, Festus Ogun, who confirmed this to Saturday PUNCH, said two of the protesters were arrested on Thursday in the Oregun area of Lagos, while 12 were picked up around Lekki Toll Gate plaza on Friday.
Efforts to reach the Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, for the total number of suspects arrested proved abortive, as he did not respond to multiple phone calls, and Whatsapp messages.
