An activist, Kenechukwu Okeke has filed a criminal complaint before a Chief Magistrate’s court in Abuja against Fifty (50) #EndSARS promoters.
In the complaint sighted by The Nation, prominent personalities mostly entertainers and social influencers were listed. The case was instituted on Monday in pursuant to sections 88, 109(a), 110(1)(c) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.
The defendants include; Aisha Yesufu, Oseyi Etomi, Sam Adeyemi, Yemi Alade, Rinu Oduala, Peter Okoye, Paul Okoye, Kanu Nwankwo, Deji Adeyanju, Dr. Joe Abah, Banky W, Kiki Mordi, Modupe Odele, Burna Boy.
Others are Uche Jombo, Tiwa Savage, Ayodeji Makun, Folarin Falana, Apaokagi Mayram, Ayo Sogunro, David Adeleke, Pamilerin Adegoke, Japheth Omojuwa, Micheal Collins, Chinedu Okoli, Yul Edochie, Innocent Idibia, Debo Adebayo, Feyikemi Abudu.
Okeke, who alleged that during the protest, his properties were destroyed, states that the defendants who promoted the #EndSARS protests must be brought to Justice.
He said, “I shall instigate a private criminal prosecution against all the alleged perpetrators and coordinators of the #EndSARS riots on Twitter. The nation bled, lives lost, and properties worth billions destroyed as a result of the sheer recklessness of some persons.
“Having initiated criminal proceedings against the #EndSARS riots promoters at exactly 1052hrs WAT, 09/11/2020, we shall ensure that same is diligently prosecuted in the interest of defence, public safety and public order. The Federal Republic of Nigeria is country of laws.”
Okeke’s suit comes weeks after a former presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Adamu Garba filed a suit at the federal high court, seeking to ban the use of Twitter in Nigeria.
Adamu claimed that #EndSARS agitators used Twitter to galvanize themselves in an undemocratic manner to oust President Muhammadu Buhari from office.
The suits, Nigerians believe, are being filed by government proxies to further stifle their rights to freedom of expression after the two-week nationwide protest.
Last week, an association of governors from Nigeria’s northern region held an emergency meeting where they announced that censorship of social media was one of the most critical subjects of their deliberation.
The governors said social media was being used to threaten national security and urged the Federal Government to censor social media in the country, saying the ‘oneness of Nigeria is a non-negotiable’.
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