January 12, (THEWILL) – Amnesty International (AI) has called on the Nigerian authorities to release 19 EndSARS protesters, currently being detained at Kirikiri Medium Security Prison in Lagos since 2020.
The detainees, who were all arrested during the October 2020 EndSARS protest are Ayodeji Oluwasegun, Andoh Immanuel, Yakubu Olayiwola, Olaogun Ismail, Uba Chukwuma, Dosunmu Taiwo, Daniel Joy-Igbo, Yusuf Rafiu, Olawale Marcus, Muyiwa Onikoyi, Shehu Anas, Suleman Saidu, Rasheed Wasiu Bolaji, Adigun Sodiq, Sunday Okoro, Akiniran Oyetakin, Ogidi Isah, Ibrahim Adesanya and Faruk Abdulquadri.
The demand by the human rights group follows the release on January 10, 2023, of Oyewole Olumide, Rasheed Tiamiyu, Moruf Adekunle, Taoreed Abiodun, Ikenna Amechi, Afeez Ariyo, Ikechukwu Eze, and Adesina Ademuyiwa detained at Agodi Correctional Centre Ibadan, Oyo state for participating in EndSARS protests in October 2020.
The Oyo State Chief Judge ordered their discharge, acquittal and release.
In a statement by the Director, Amnesty International Nigeria, Osai Ojigho, said: “With this development, we also urge Nigerian authorities to provide information about the status of other #EndSARS protesters being held in various prisons across the country, grant their families and lawyers access to them, charge them to court, or release them from detention immediately.”
According to Amnesty International, as of October 2022, based on its investigation, over 40 EndSARS protesters are still languishing in prisons across Nigeria.
“All detained protesters must be immediately and unconditionally released.
“The Nigerian authorities must urgently respect, protect, promote and fulfil the right to peaceful protest including by publicly directing security and law enforcement agencies to stop infringing on the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly”, Ojigho added.
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