The question currently in the mouth of many Nigerians is, what is next for DJ Switch, now that the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry report indicted the Nigerian Army and Police in the shooting and killing of unarmed EndSARS protesters at the Lekki Tollgate in Lagos on October 20, 2020.
Amid all that Obianuju Catherin Udeh, fondly called Dj Switch had to go through in the past one year, for streaming live video of the shooting of unarmed protesters by security forces whose jobs are to protect them, the panel set up by Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and headed by a retired judge, Doris Okuwobi, showed she was indeed, a hero who ought to have been celebrated and not harassed and threatened to be ‘slaughtered’.
On the evening of October 20, 2020, the Nigerian Army and Police stormed the Lekki Tollgate, shot at innocent and unarmed peaceful protesters. Many of the youths died and several others escaped the scene with gunshot wounds.
The video of what took place at the scene, which was released by DJ Switch, showed the world the youths were massacred while they waved the Nigerian flag and sang the country’s National Anthem.
But the security operatives initially denied being at the scene let alone shooting at the protesters.
When security operatives later accepted being at the Lekki Tollgate, they said they only fired a blank bullet at the protesters in order to scare them away. They and the Nigerian government maintained that claim even when forensic evidence showed that the bullets fired at people were from the Nigerian army.
Meanwhile, because of the video she streamed on social media to the world, DJ Switch ended up making herself an enemy of the Nigerian government.
Nigeria’s Information Minister, Lai Mohammed, had this to say of the DJ, “With the preponderance of evidence against any massacre at the Lekki Toll Gate on Oct. 20th, 2020, we are once again reiterating what we said one year ago, that: The military did not shoot at protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate on Oct. 20th, 2020, and there was no massacre at the toll gate.
“The only ‘massacre’ recorded was in the social media, hence there were neither bodies nor blood. Amnesty International, CNN, a runaway DJ, and others like them should apologise for misleading the world that there was a massacre at the Lekki Toll Gate and for portraying the Nigerian military, police and other security agencies in bad light.”
The DJ truly disappeared after she realised that the government and the military officials accused her of fabricating the video.
There were different stories about her whereabouts. Some claimed she had fled the country to escape alleged threats by Nigerian security agencies. Others said she had fled to Canada and that the Canadian authority granted her asylum.
However, sometimes in September, the disc jockey denied claims that she sought asylum in Canada. She cleared the air via her Instagram story.
She wrote, “But let me say this… news outlets and bloggers, I know traffic is the game but when you don’t really investigate properly and run with things that you don’t know for sure or have verified, you sincerely hurt and, in some cases, cause serious complications for people in ‘real life’.
“I’ve been cooked up in a house for months. I never got asylum in Canada. I didn’t even step foot into Canada. I didn’t even speak to anyone who claimed they spoke to me on the issue. Anyways, I will leave it there. By the way, it is now that I am traveling… and not to Canada! Love!”
The whole saga apparently changed the life of the Delta State-born DJ as she has been unable to do her DJ work which pays her bills since she has been running for her life over doing what is right.
Only last Monday, the DJ was vindicated as the Lagos panel indicted the security operatives and listed 48 names as fatalities of the incident. Among these 48 people, about 20 sustained gunshot injuries, while 13 others were assaulted by the military.
Fugitive DJ Switch, reacting to the panel’s report took to her Twitter page and wrote, “Shattered so many lives, tried to destroy mine. Only for what you desperately tried to hide to be made public… by you! The truth needs no defence! #EndSARS.”
Other celebrities also gave their coin regarding the reports:
Falz (Folarin Falana) wrote, “These animals legit made us doubt our sanity about the Lagos massacre, you know. “Something that we watched on Instagram live.
“Anyway the panel report is out now and it is clear as day.
“Just in case you thought we would back down at some point. That has never been & will never be an option.
“ALL these recommendations must be implemented fully!!”
Skit maker, Mr. Macaroni said, “Those that have been speaking the truth since 20/10/20 are still saying the same thing till this very day.
“Go and check the statements of government reps or their supporters. It’s from one lie to the other. Now they are fighting themselves.
“Everlasting confusion for the wicked.
“The same panel that the government set up has presented their findings.
“Except you people don’t have faith in your own judicial system.
“Since last year, we have seen numerous gaslighting and lies!
“The truth always prevails and that truth is the #EndSARS Movement.”
Singer Timi Dakolo asked, ‘Why another panel? They wanna set up another panel to panel the other panel’s findings.”
Rapper Ruggedman asked the Nigerian government, “Now that the truth of what we already know about the Lekki Tollgate Massacre has been revealed, will you now unban Twitter and ban yourself?”
Adding his voice, Grammy Awards winner Burna Boy wrote, “I just sleep wake see say government nyash open far and wide today. You cannot clean innocent blood with lie Mohammed.”
The question now is, with the Lagos panel report vindicating DJ Switch, can she now work freely and do her normal DJ job without threats?
Should Lai Mohammed and the government he represent not apologise and compensate her for all they made her to go through in the past one year?