… want IGP to step aside
By: Mandy Park
Lagos State chapter of #Endbadgovernance organisers has asked President Bola Tinubu to constitute an independent, impartial investigation team to look into the abuse of human rights and killings that took place during the August protest.
This is as the movement want the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Kayode Egbetokun to step down until the investigation is completed.
In a statement signed by Comrade Hassan Taiwo Soweto and Oloye Adegboyega-Adeniji, for the Organizing Committee, #Endbadgovernance Movement, Lagos State, it noted that Amnesty International report on the bloody August incident contradicts the Nigeria Police report.
This according to the group require an independent and impartial investigation panel that would come out with the true position of what happened during the August protest.
The statement reads in part” We want to use this opportunity to respond to a development surrounding the Amnesty International report titled: Nigeria: Bloody August: Nigerian government’s violent crackdown on #EndBadGovernance protests.
“On Sunday 22nd December 2024, the PRO of the Nigerian Police Force, Muyiwa Adejobi, addressed a press conference wherein he dismissed this crucial report which exposes the flagrant violations committed by the police and other security forces during the #EndBadGovernance protest in August including the extra judicial killing of 24 people in Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, Kaduna, Niger, and Borno states.
“According to the Force PRO, an internal investigation set up by the Police failed to corroborate Amnesty International’s finding, therefore, Amnesty International must retract the report and publicly apologize to the police.
“This is not only laughable but sad. In the first instance, the so-called police internal investigation is a gross violation of the widely known principle of natural justice “Nemo judex in causa sua” which means that no one should be a judge in his own cause.
“For an institution indicted of gross human rights violations to organize an internal investigation to either corroborate or refute allegations made against it is a novelty that deserves nothing less than a Guinness Book of World records.
“If the Nigerian Police Force had even taken the least step required to demonstrate good faith which is for the Inspector General of Police being the principal officer under whom the repression of August occurred to step down, perhaps this so-called internal investigation would have measured up to some standard of probity and impartiality.
“But the Nigerian police could not be bothered because it doesn’t care. Don’t forget, this was the same Nigerian Police Force that caused the country global embarrassment earlier in November when officers brought to court and arraigned over 32 under-aged, sick and malnourished children for treason.
“We think it is now time to ask the Force PRO, Muyiwa Adejobi, and his boss, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, to stop any further embarrassment of the Nation. As an indicted party, it is not the responsibility of the police to carry out an internal investigation.
“That is why the Amnesty International specifically asked President Bola Tinubu to “constitute an independent and impartial investigation of human rights violations during the #Endbadgovernance protests”.
“We hereby reiterate our call on the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to immediately step down in order to allow for an impartial probe.
“We call for the setting up of an independent probe panel democratically constituted by elected representatives of professional bodies like the Nigeria bar Association (NBA), National Union of Journalists (NUJ), trade union associations, youth and civil society organizations to carry out a transparent investigation into the damning findings of the Amnesty International report regarding the conduct of officers of the Nigerian police and other security forces during the hunger protest in August.
“In conclusion, we call on the Nigerian people to arise and say: Enough is enough! It is time to hold the Tinubu government accountable for his actions and policies.
“As far as we are concerned, the Nigerian people deserve better. They deserve a government that prioritizes their well-being and dignity. Let us unite to demand a better future for ourselves, our children, and our communities.
” Let us rise up and say enough is enough to bad governance!”.
