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By John Ogunsemore
Amnesty International Nigeria has decried alleged ruthless assault by police in Lagos on two activists during the recent protest against demolitions in Makoko community.
On January 28, protesters comprising displaced residents of Makoko and members of civil society groups demonstrated against ongoing demolitions in the community.
The protest which took place at the Lagos State House of Assembly complex saw police firing teargas to disperse the crowd.
While some protesters accused the police of using live rounds, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Jimoh Olohundare insisted that no firearm was discharged during the protest.
In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Amnesty said two activists, Hassan Taiwo Soweto and Dele Frank widely known as Arole Fela, faced “ruthless assault” from the police over the protest.
It called on the Nigerian authorities to investigate the Lagos State Police Command and its commissioner over the matter.
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Amnesty said, “The Nigerian authorities must investigate Lagos State Police command and the Commissioner Jimoh Moshood over the ruthless assault on activist Hassan Taiwo Soweto and Dele Frank widely known as Arole Fela solely for participating in peaceful protest against violent and unlawful forced evictions at Makoko and the parts of Lagos.
“The police must be held to account for this impunity that left Hassan Soweto and other activists with severe injuries.
“What the activists were subjected to by the police shows a wanton disregard for the right to peaceful protest under Nigeria’s Constitution and the country’s obligations under international human rights law.
“Targeting of activists, once again, shows how government treats protest as a threat rather than a right and how law enforcement officials view their role as being to suppress and subdue protesters rather than to facilitate their rights.”
Daily Sun recalls that the two activists were arraigned by the police before the Yaba Magistrate Court, Lagos on Wednesday, January 29.
They were arraigned on a five-count charge bordering on disturbance of public peace.
However, the court admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of N200,000 each with two sureties in like sum.
