Sowore: ‘Shooting at protesters ‘Unacceptable’ – Joe Odumakin reacts

Dr. Joe Okei Odumakin, President, Centre for Change and widow of late former National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin, has warned the federal government over alleged shooting of activists at the Unity Fountain in Abuja.

Omoyele Sowore and other activists were on a peaceful demonstration at Unity Fountain, when police men allegedly shot at them.

In a statement issued in Lagos on Monday, Dr. Joe said: “This is unacceptable! Nigeria is a democratic country under law and not a dictatorship or banana republic.

“Freedom of speech, freedom of association and freedom of movement are some of the fundamental human rights granted to Nigerian citizens by the 1999 Constitution as amended.

“The widely-expressed flaws of this Constitution notwithstanding, it still charges journalists to hold the government accountable to the people.

“It accords the people the right of peaceful protest, especially when drawing government officials’ attention to their failings and the expectations of citizens from them, which is legitimate.”

However, Mariam Yusuf, the FCT police spokesperson, said the activists were not shot at by the police.

In a statement released to journalists in Abuja, she said “contrary to the speculation, Police operatives professionally restored calm at the Unity Fountain following attempts by a group of protesters to incite public disturbance,” she said.

“The protesters who went on the rampage were resisted by Police Operatives in order to prevent them from causing a breakdown of law and order.

“There is no record of such incident as at the time of this report.”