Nine people charged and detained over the 2020 #EndSARS protests in Oyo state were earlier released by the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Munta Abimbola.
The global human rights organisation, Amnesty International has demanded the release of all #EndSARS protesters still being held in various prisons in Nigeria.
Nine people charged and detained over the 2020 #EndSARS protests in Oyo state were earlier released by the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Munta Abimbola.
They were among 100 inmates of the Agodi Correctional Centre, Ibadan, Southwest Nigeria, released on Monday and Tuesday, by the CJ under the prerogative of mercy.
Justice Abimbola said the release of the nine #EndSARS protesters had brought the #EndSARS cases in the state to a conclusion.
The #EndSARS protesters are Adeshina Muyiwa, Ikechuckwu Eze, Ariyo Sodiq, Ikenna Amaechi, Oyewole Olumide, Ariyo Afeez, Taoreed Abiodun, Adekunle Moruf and Rasheed Tiamiyu. They were accused of murder, stealing police rifles, and burning a police station, among others in connection with the #EndSARS protest of October 2020.
However, Amnesty International in a statement posted on its verified Twitter handle on Wednesday welcomes the release of nine detained protesters.
The group urged Nigerian authorities to provide information about the status of other #EndSARS protesters held in various prisons across the country. It added that the government should grant their families and lawyers access to them, charge them to court, or release them immediately.
The statement reads, "Amnesty International welcomes the release of nine persons detained at Agodi Correctional Centre Ibadan, Oyo state for participating in #EndSARS protests in October 2020.
"With this development, we also urge Nigerian authorities to provide information about the status of other #EndSARS protesters held in various prisons across the country, grant their families and lawyers access to them, charge them to court, or release them immediately.
"The #EndSARS protesters released yesterday were detained for well over two years and three months without trial in Agodi Correctional Centre. They were detained under trumped-up charges ranging from theft, arson, possession of unlawful firearms, and murder. #EndSARS," the statement adds.