Police Brutality : Fatai Buhari Moves Motion to Put Security Operatives on Their Toes , Mourns Jimoh Isiaka, Others ,….Stresses Right to Peaceful Assembly, Free Expression
Police Brutality : Fatai Buhari Moves Motion to Put Security Operatives on Their Toes , Mourns Jimoh Isiaka, Others ,….Stresses Right to Peaceful Assembly, Free Expression .
The federal lawmaker representing Oyo North Senatorial District in the Senate, Senator AbdulFatai Omotayo Buhari, has today at the senate plenary moved the motion on the need to put security operatives on their toes towards protecting the citizens in the ongoing End SARS protest across the country and against all forms of police brutality .
Buhari, on the floor of the Hallow Chamber noted with grief the death of Jimoh Isiaka and several other promising Nigerian youths whose lives were cut short at their prime during the recent ENDSARS protest which started on the 8th October,2020.
Senator Buhari further stressed that the right to peaceful assembly and free expression are fundamental principles of any democracy, and section 40 of Nigerian Constitution (1999) guarantee the right of every Nigerian to peaceful protest, thus the need of the security operatives to ensure the safety of the Nigerian people.
In his words, ” it is regrettably unfortunate that the protest on ENDSARS metamorphosized into confrontation between the security operatives and the protesting youths in some part of the country and even turned violent in Ogbomoso,Oyo State.
” For instance, the Nigerian police were alleged to have injured several protesters and shot dead a young man known as Jimoh Isiaka and about three others, a constituent of mine, during the protest”.
” It is also sad that as a reaction to the death of Jimoh Isiaka, the palace of the paramount ruler of the city, The Soun of Ogbomosoland, was attacked by the protesters in which several properties and vehicles were wantonly destroyed and many officials sustained injury”.
‘ Though SARS has been banned, preserving freedom of speech and legitimate protest is of course imperative and attention must be paid to how security operatives handle peaceful protest with professionalism.
After consideration of the motion, the Senate resolved that the Committee on Police Affairs should have interface with the hierarchy of Nigeria Police Force towards proper compensation to the families of the deceased Jimoh Isiaka and others who lost their dear lives.
The Chairman,Senate Commitee on Land Transport also sought for the reorientation of members of the force towards restraining the use of firearms during assemblies and protests in line with the dictates of international laws and global best practices.
A minute silence was observed by the Nigerian Senate in honour of all those who lost their lives in EndSars protest.
