Organisers of the ongoing #EndBadGovernance protest have announced a three-day mourning period to honour the memories of their fallen colleagues who were killed by security agents during the protests.
The mourning period commenced on Wednesday, August 7, 2024 and ended on Friday, 9 August with a public symposium and candlelight procession.
In a statement by Hassan Soweto, Ayoyinka Oni and AdegboyegaAdeniji, on behalf of the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria Organising Committee, GaniFawehinmi Freedom Park, Ojota, Lagos State, the organisers said the decision to declare a mourning period comes after a series of violent attacks on peaceful protesters by police and thugs allegedly sponsored by the state.
“Arising from a closed-door organisers’ meeting, we have declared three days of mourning in Lagos State to honour our fallen colleagues across the country who were killed by trigger-happy police and security agents during the ongoing #EndBadGovernance protest. The three days of mourning commenced on Wednesday, 7 August and ends tomorrow, Friday, August 9, 2024, with a public symposium and candlelight procession. “We hereby urge all Nigerian people and youth who support the struggle against hunger and hardship to do everything they can on a personal level to observe these three days of mourning, which may include; wearing black attires as they go out, putting up graphics of the movement on their social media profiles, as well as other individual acts to show solidarity with our fallen heroes,” the statement said.
… As Army Detains Soldier Over Death Of Protester
The Nigerian Army has detained a soldier who killed a 16-year-old boy, Ismail Mohammed, while attempting to stop hoodlums who were causing mayhem in Samaru, Zaria, in Kaduna State. This was contained in a statement by the Director, Army Public Relations, Maj.-Gen. OnyemaNwachukwu, on Wednesday, in Abuja.
Nwachukwu said the troops received a distress call that some hoodlums gathered in Samaru area of Zaria in large numbers, burning tyres on the road and pelting stones on security personnel.
He said the troops immediately mobilised and arrived at the scene to disperse the mob and enforce the curfew imposed by the state government.
“On arrival at the scene, the hoodlums brazenly attempted attacking the troops, prompting a soldier to fire a warning shot to scare the hoodlums away, which unfortunately led to the death of a 16-year-old boy, Ismail Mohammed.
“The soldier involved has since been arrested and undergoing interrogation as of the time of this report,” he said.
Nwachukwu said the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. TaoreedLagbaja was saddened by the unfortunate incident.
He said the COAS had sent a high-powered delegation led by the General Officer Commanding 1 Division, Maj.-Gen. Lander Saraso, to visit and condole with the family of the deceased.
According to him, the deceased was buried according to Islamic rites, with senior military officers of the Nigerian army in attendance. (NAN)
