The endsars protest may have come and gone, the aftermath still lingers as a man identified as Mr Achu Godwin Inung has cried out for help over the torture he has received in the hands of police and several threat to his life and that of his family members from suspected political thugs and mercenaries.
Mr Achu Godwin Inung was fingered as one of the organisers of endsars protest, a movement that originated online on October 4, 2020, via twitter and metamorphosed to a physical peaceful protest that kicked off first in Lagos on October 8, 2020. The protest was launched as a call to end Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a notorious unit of the Nigerian Police with a long record of abuse against Nigerian citizens and extrajudicial killings.
Events however turned otherwise on October 20, 2020, when military men opened fire, shooting at the protesters where, according to reports, many people were killed and many injured. The shooting however provoked the youths and the protesters and many hoodlums hijacked the protest, destroyed government properties, burnt down some police stations, and broke into prisons to let prisoners run away, not just in Lagos but across the country.
The development made the government launch a manhunt for all protesters, the organisers and sponsors of the protest not only in Lagos but across the country.
As of press time, some of the perceived vibrant organisers and sponsors of the protest have been arrested and prosecuted, and the government is still on the lookout for many others including Obianuju Catherine Udeh popularly known as DJ Switch. Dare William, Idris Lawus
The then Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, on Tuesday November 3, 2020 said that 1, 590 suspects have so far been arrested across the country during and after the endsars protest who were suspected to be supporters, organiser or sponsor of the violence.
It was gathered that Achu Godwin Inung received a letter of invitation from the Nigeria Police Authority on 15th January 2021 but on getting to the station, he was thrown into the cell, beaten and tortured. He was said to have spent 2 weeks in the cell until he was granted bail.
It was learnt that some men in uniform and suspected political thugs had visited his home on the 10 June 2023, when they couldn’t see him, they end up arresting his wife, Mrs. Onofu Godwin Innug, such that she landed in the hospital unconscious. While Mrs. Onofu Godwin recovered and was discharged after some days later,
According to sources, as of the time of filing this report, Mr Achu Godwin Inung and his family are living in fear and helplessness. It was gathered that they relocated from Lagos to Edo State but their assailants have not relented in threatening them in both states. As of the time of filing this report, sources cannot ascertain the whereabouts of Mr and Mrs Achu Godwin Inung family. But the Inspector General believes the police have shown restraint to all the protesters.