An author, Sharaf Adewale, said his first book, ‘The Blood Stained Flag’, serves as a poignant reflection on the events of October 20, 2020, a day that marked a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s history.

In his speech during the launch of the book held in Lagos, he recounted how peaceful protests against police brutality turned into chaos when military troops, led by Lt. Col. SO Bello, violently intervened at the Lekki gate.

He described the emotional weight of the meeting, stating, “Every October 20, our old wound is reopened; our fallen heroes are remembered.”

He explained that his writing was inspired not only by his poem, “The Bloodstained Flag,” composed that fateful night, but also by a long-standing desire to advocate for justice.

Adewale articulated several key goals for the book, saying, “To illuminate the peaceful nature of the protests and the unjustified military response, to expose the greed and willingness of leaders to suppress movements that seek to liberate the oppressed, to expose the efforts of the government to cover. the atrocities committed against the protesters and present the impartial findings of the Justice Okwobi Commission and challenge the official denial of the Lekki massacre.”

While giving an insight into the structure of the book, Adewale said: ‘The Bloodstained Flag’ was divided into four sections, ‘Peaceful protest and military intervention, highlights how young Nigerians came together to demand the abolition of the famous SARS units, detailing the government’s initial attempts to undermine the protests by deploying thugs.

“The impartial panel discusses the Lagos State Government’s establishment of a judicial panel to investigate police brutality, including the events of October 20, 2020. It highlights the commission’s findings, which blamed the military and police for the deaths and injuries suffered by protesters.

“The state crime defense addresses attempts by pro-government figures to discredit the commission’s report, including allegations of discrepancies that were never substantiated.

“Finally, the Illegal White Paper criticizes the white paper issued by the Lagos State Government in response to the commission’s findings, arguing that it is illegal and dismisses documented evidence of violence.”

Adewale concluded his speech by stressing the importance of truth and accountability in Nigeria’s quest for justice.

He expressed hope that his books would serve as crucial tools in the ongoing struggle for transparency and reform in the nation’s governance.