Date: 2016-05-29

Some Nigerians lost their lives while participating in some events that were part of the historical process of the nation’s democracy. These 'martyrs' have long been forgotten perhaps because their statuses were not equal to that of the eminent individuals who lost their lives either in similar manner or years after participating in the enthronement of democracy.

NYSC 10: Now referred to as the NYSC 10, they were the 10 members of the National Youth Service Corps killed by mobs in the northern part of the country during the post-2011 election violence. The deceased were: Adewunmi Paul (Ekiti); Ukeoma Chibuzor (Imo); Ukazeoma Chukwunonyerem (Imo); Oladele Tosin (Kogi); Ibrahim Sule (Kogi); Gbejo Akintunde (Osun); Adeniyi Jelil (Osun); Anyanwu Agnes (Imo); Okpokiri Obinna (Abia); and Adohe Elliot (Bayelsa).

The corps members served as ad hoc staff for the Independent National Electoral Commission at their places of postings in the North. In May 2011, the then President Goodluck Jonathan announced a token N5m monetary compensation for each of the families of the slain 10 NYSC members.

Ademola: A fashion designer, Abiodun Ademola, was shot at by a former Divisional Police Officer of Pen Cinema Police Station, Agege, Lagos, Mr. Segun Fabunmi, during the fuel subsidy protest in January, 2012 otherwise known as #OccupyNigeria. It was believed that the protest marked a watershed in the revolt against any unpopular government policy by Nigerians. Fabunmi, said to have shot Ademola in his crotch in the glare of other youths who had gathered at Yaya Abatan Junction, Ogba, Lagos, was later arraigned on seven counts of murder, attempted murder and causing grievous bodily harm by the Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecutions.

Justice came for Ademola when Justice Olabisi Akinlade of a Lagos State High Court last December sentenced Fabunmi to 10 years in prison. Fabunmi, who had been dismissed from the Police Force, was also found guilty of shooting three other persons — Alimi Abubakar, Egbujor Samuel and Chizorba Odoh, during the protest, thereby causing them severe bodily harm. For that, he was sentenced to five years but the sentences were to run concurrently.

Okanlomo: Hammed Okanlomo was among the subsidy protesters who converged on an area in Ibafo, Ogun State. He was killed after a confrontation with policemen who were trying to disperse protesters who blocked the Ibafo end of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

Rahimi: Mojeed Rahimi was an Osogbo, Osun State-based hip-hop musician who died after machete cuts reportedly inflicted on him by one Lawrence Dada during the subsidy protest at Jaleyemi area in Osogbo.

Trouble started when Rahimi and some other protesters barricaded a road which Dada attempted to drive through. The deceased, otherwise called Apanpa, purportedly challenged Dada who allegedly took a machete from the boot of his car and dealt several blows on Rahimi before he hurried into his car and sped off. Rahimi died shortly after sustaining the machete cuts.

Mustafa: Muyideen Mustafa was killed at the popular Post Office Junction in Ilorin, Kwara State during the protest against subsidy removal. His death was the first among other deaths recorded across the states during the subsidy protests. The Nigeria Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress, civil society organisations and the National Association of Nigerian Students renamed the junction as Muyideen Mustapha Freedom Square in memory of the deceased. Many people said a stray bullet fired by an unidentified policeman felled the 24-year-old man. But the police said he was stabbed with sharp objects by some unknown protesters during the peaceful demonstration.

Olateju: He was a 27-year-old spare parts seller killed by a policeman who reportedly fired shots in the air to disperse protesters burning tyres at the Target/Ogbere Olunloyo area of Ibadan, Oyo State, during the 2012 subsidy protest. Olurin Olateju, whose wife was said to have been delivered of a baby before the incident, was taken to Atipe Compound, Oke-Afa area where he later died.

Balogun: A party agent of the then Action Congress of Nigeria in Ogun State, Tajudeen Balogun, was shot dead by political hoodlums during the 2011 general elections. He had reportedly gone to submit the result of the election at Ward 4, St. Mary Primary School polling unit in Abeokuta, when he was killed. The governorship candidate of the then ACN, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, had said while condemning his death, "One of our party agents was killed and I almost lost my life too. But we thank God that this was impossible for them."

Tsanmani: Thirty-eight-year-old Bulus Tsanmani in Bogoro Local Government Area of Bauchi State, slumped in a queue while awaiting accreditation during the last Governorship and House of Assembly elections in the state.

Daniel: Also, in the same Bogoro LGA during the same election that claimed the life of Tsanmani, a councillor from Gizaki/Badagari ward, Musa Daniel, was beaten to death by angry youths. The chairperson of the caretaker committee of Bogoro LGA, Mrs. Hassana Arkila, who noted that nothing warranted the youth's action, added that it was the handiwork of the 'enemies of the country's democracy.'

Wonah: A voter, Sampson Wonah, was reportedly shot dead by gunmen while waiting for accreditation at a polling unit in Ozuoha in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State. The incident occurred during the last Presidential and National Assembly elections.

Adewale and five others: A son of the Olu of Epe, Kunle Adewale, and five others drowned in a river after their boat capsized. They had gone to cast their votes during the last Presidential and National Assembly elections and were returning when the incident happened. Adewale, a director in the Lagos State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, was the first son of the Olu of Epe, Oba Shefiu Adewale.

Nworie: A former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ishielu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Mr. Mike Nworie, was hacked to death by political thugs during the April 11, 2015, Governorship and House of Assembly elections in the state. His death came in the height of the mayhem unleashed on the state by hoodlums during the elections.

Nasir: Twenty-one-year-old Salim Nasir was shot dead by a soldier at the Ali Kazaure polling station in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State during the 2015 Governorship and House of Assembly elections in the state. Nasir, said to be caught in the frenzy of the elections, reportedly fought with the supporters of another political party. The action purportedly infuriated a soldier who tried to retrieve a knife from him and in the process, shot him. Efforts made by other voters present at the scene of the incident to save him were futile as he died shortly after.

Okonta: The killing of another member of the National Youth Service Corps, Dumebi Okonta, by gunmen was greeted with condemnation from far and near. The deceased was killed in Rivers State during the March, 2016, governorship rerun in the state, where he served as an ad hoc worker for the Independent National Electoral Commission. Okonta, an orphan, killed in Ahoada West Local Government Area, until his demise, was observing his primary assignment at Government Community Secondary School, Ukpeliede.

Adebayo: Though insurgency had claimed the lives of some Nigerian soldiers, hoodlums killed another soldier identified as Lance Corporal Adegboyega Adebayo two days before the Rivers State rerun election. The 34-year-old soldier was reportedly shot dead on the sea in the Abonema, Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State on March 17, 2016. His remains had been laid to rest in Iyana Iyesi, Ogun State.

Thirteen corpers: Thirteen members of the National Youth Service Corps lost their lives in a bomb blast in Suleja, Niger State, on the eve of the February National Assembly elections in 2011. The bomb was planted outside the wall of the Independent National Electoral Commission in the state and the then INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, confirmed the death of the corps members serving as ad hoc staff for the commission.

Ogie: In Edo State, the violence brewing before the National Assembly elections snowballed when David Ogie, was killed on the eve of the elections. Ogie, a former Vice-Chairman of Orhiomwon Local Government Area, was gunned down by a lone gunman who scaled the fence into his home.

Yahaya: A 105-year-old woman, Amina Yahaya, collapsed and died at the Kwara State secretariat of the then All Peoples Party in 1999. The centenarian was said to have gone to the APP secretariat at Olorunsogo area in Ilorin with other women to be briefed on how to vote for the party during the February, 1999 Presidential elections.