Nigerians Mark One Year of Endsars Protest with Various Activities, As Federal Government Demands Apology from CNN, Amnesty International.

Nigerian youth in Lagos, Oyo, Osun, Benin and a few other states came out for the #endsarsmemorial protest. In Lagos, Nigerian celebrities like Falz the bahd guy and Mr. Macaroni joined the car procession at the Lekki tollgate in Lagos which was the epicenter of last year’s protest, despite a ban on protests in Lagos and the heavy presence of armed police personnel at the tollgate.

A large number of people turned up at the tollgate with their cars and were seen waving Nigerian flags from inside the vehicles and honking while singing solidarity songs.

According to reports, some protesters had blocked the toll gate which made police men spray tear gas to disperse people after the commissioner of Police, Lagos state, Hakeem Odumosu arrived at the toll gate and while speaking to journalists that the tear gas was to disperse hoodlums who arrived after 10am which was when the protest should have ended bringing machetes and cutlasses. A few pressmen were arrested but were later released after proper identification was made.

Falz at Endsars memorial

Likewise, in Benin, Edo state, hundreds of youths took to major streets to mark the first anniversary of the EndSARS protest. They converged at the Oba Ovonramwen Square, popularly called Ring Road, with placards bearing various inscriptions demanding automatic employment for the victims of the protest in the state, the immediate implementation of the report of the judicial panel that was set up by the state government, requesting that all those still in detention as a result of the 2020 protest should be released unconditionally.

On the contrary, The Federal Government has demanded an apology from Amnesty International, CNN and DJ Switch for misleading the world that there was a massacre at the Lekki Toll Gate on Oct. 20, 2020 and for portraying the Nigerian military, police and other security agencies in bad light.

Addressing newsmen today in Abuja, the minister stated that contrary to the claims by CNN, Amnesty International and the disc jockey, the military did not shoot at protesters.

“On its part, CNN went from 38 people killed to two to just one, after a supposed global exclusive even when the network had no reporter on ground at the Lekki Toll Gate on Oct. 20, 2020. A judicial panel was then set up the next Monday in Lagos.

“During the sitting, CNN was summoned but it never showed up, thus missing a great opportunity to prove its allegation of massacre at the toll gate.

The minister also added that Amnesty International also had a golden opportunity to convince the world, but it rather opted for issuing “meaningless press releases”.

The #Endsarsmemorial was also an opportunity for Nigerians to remember the Late Sound Sultan, Who died a few months ago after a brief illness. The “Mathematics” crooner was one of the earliest musicians to lend his voice and platform to the Endsars movement last year.  Sound Sultan was actively involved in rallying Nigerian youths to peacefully demand the end of the now defunct police unit. Sound Sultan also holds the distinction of being on of the few

Written by BoomRadioNG