By Gbenga Abulude (Politics and General Desk)
The Senate on Tuesday observed a minute silence in honour of late Jimoh Isiaka and others allegedly killed by members of police force during the #EndSARS protest in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Sunday.
The Senate made the decision after Senator Buhari Abdulfatai representing Oyo North moved a motion during plenary session.
Abdulfatai who titled the motion, “#EndSARS Protest: The death of Jimoh Isiaka and the attack on the palace of Soun of Ogbomosoland: Need to put our security operatives on their toes”, regretted that the lives of the young men were cut short during the protest as a result of the unprofessionalism of some members of the Nigeria Police Force.
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The Senator said the rights to a peaceful demonstration and free expression were part of the fundamental principles of any democracy.
He lamented the circumstances which made the protest to degenerate into confrontations between security operatives and the protesting youths in some parts of the country to the extent of it becoming violent even in Ogbomoso, “as Nigerian police were alleged to have injured seven protesters and shot dead a young man known as Jimoh Isiaka, a constituent of mine, during the protest.”
Abdulfatai said it was sad that #EndSARS protesters, reacting to the death of Isiaka, attacked the palace of the Soun of Ogbomosoland, OBA (DR.) Oladunni Oyewunmi Ajagungbade III and injured many palace officials and also destroying several properties.
He noted that the Inspector General of Police has forthwith disbanded the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in response to the calls by many Nigerians.
“The Senate is convinced that non-violent protests have been a feature of democracy, with demonstrators calling for a declaration or a cancellation or even expressing their displeasure at a particular decision of the government.
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“So while preserving freedom of speech and legitimate protest is of course imperative, attention must be paid to how security operatives handle peaceful protest with professionalism,” says Abdulfatai.
