A coalition of civil society organisations in Nigeria and prominent citizens have condemned the assault on Executive Director of Enough is Enough (EiE) Nigeria, Yemi Adamolekun, by Man O’ War volunteers allegedly acting under police instruction during a wreath-laying ceremony at the Lekki Toll Gate, Lagos State.
Adamolekun was reportedly accosted and manhandled on Sunday while attempting to honour victims of the October 20, 2020, #EndSARS protest, where security operatives opened fire on peaceful demonstrators.
In a protest letter addressed to the Lagos State Government and copied to the President Bola Tinubu, as well as relevant police and Man O’ War authorities, citizens and civil society groups across the country expressed outrage at what they described as an attack on civic freedom.
Among the signatories to the petition are the Nigeria Network of NGOs, Amnesty International Nigeria, SERAP, CISLAC, Media Rights Agenda, Global Rights, Yiaga Africa, TechHerNG, Accountability Lab, Hope Behind Bars, We The People, and Middle Belt Concern. Prominent citizens including Remi Sonaiya, a 2015 presidential candidate, and Mr. Frank Nweke Jr., a two-time federal minister, also signed in solidarity.
The groups said they were writing “as concerned citizens and citizen groups to express their deep concern and unequivocal condemnation of the assault on Yemi Adamolekun, Executive Director of Enough is Enough (EiE) Nigeria, by individuals identified as Man O’ War volunteers acting under the instruction of officers of the Nigeria Police Force in Lagos State.”
They described the incident as “an act that should have been protected under our democratic guarantees of freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and human dignity.”
According to them, verified video evidence shows Adamolekun being accosted and manhandled while laying a wreath to commemorate victims of the #EndSARS massacre.
The citizens noted that the incident was “particularly troubling” because it was carried out “under official supervision,” warning that such actions “undermine the credibility of law enforcement agencies and tarnish the human rights record of both the Lagos State and Federal Government.”
They further cautioned that such pattern of aggression projected the administration as intolerant of civic participation and devoid of empathy for the citizens it serves.
The coalition demanded a public apology from the Lagos State Government, the Lagos State Police Command, and Man O’ War Nigeria to Adamolekun and the Nigerian public, as well as an immediate and transparent investigation into the conduct of those involved, with disciplinary measures where appropriate.
They also called for a clear commitment from the authorities to uphold citizens’ rights to peacefully assemble and commemorate national tragedies without intimidation or assault.
The groups stressed that the assault on Adamolekun represented a wider threat to civic space in Nigeria, noting that the incident was not just about one individual, but about the continuing struggle for civic freedom and accountability in Nigeria’s democracy.
To assault a citizen for mourning victims of state violence is to reopen the wounds of #EndSARS, they stated, adding that the government must choose the path of justice and empathy, not intimidation and silence.
Nurudeen Akewushola is an investigative reporter and fact-checker with The ICIR. He believes courageous in-depth investigative reporting is the key to social justice, accountability and good governance in society. You can reach him via nyahaya@icirnigeria.org and @NurudeenAkewus1 on Twitter.