Human rights group, Amnesty International has asked the Federal Government to ensure that all persons involved in the October 20 shooting of EndSARS protesters at the Lekki toll gate are brought to justice.
In its latest report published on Wednesday October 28, by its country director Osai Ojigho, the rights group said it is still investigating the shooting and reported removal of bodies of persons allegedly killed during the shooting.
“Amnesty International is again calling on Nigerian authorities to bring to justice those behind the shooting and to protect those who are exercising their right to freedom of assembly.
“The organization is still investigating the shooting and the reported removal of bodies of those killed by the military in an attempt to remove evidence.”
The group noted that it had been monitoring developments across the country since the #EndSars protest began on October 8.
“What happened at Lekki Toll Gate has all the traits of the Nigerian authorities’ pattern of a cover-up whenever their defence and security forces commit unlawful killings.
One week on, the Nigerian authorities still have many questions to answer: who ordered the use of lethal force on peaceful protesters? Why were CCTV cameras on the scene dismantled in advance? And who ordered electricity being turned off minutes before the military opened fire on protesters?
The initial denials of the involvement of soldiers in the shooting was followed by the shameful denial of the loss of lives as a result of the military’s attack against the protests.
Many people are still missing since the day of the incident, and credible evidence shows that the military prevented ambulances from reaching the severely injured in the aftermath.”
The human rights group added that it tracked the military’s movements before the incident as narrated below:
Amnesty International’s Crisis Response experts investigated and verified social media videos and photographs that confirm the Nigerian security forces were present at the Lekki Toll Gate when the shootings occurred.
At 6:29pm local time in Lagos, two military vehicles were filmed leaving Bonny Camp on videos shared on social media.
Later footage shows four vehicles with flashing lights in a convoy, and they appear to be vehicles used by the Nigerian military and police.
The same vehicles headed east along Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue – which changes its name to the Lekki-Epe Expressway – in the direction of the Lekki Toll Gate.
On this route, the vehicles pass several international embassies and consulates, including the Japanese Embassy and the Australian High Commission.
Further photographs and footage capture the vehicles arriving at the toll gate, before the peaceful protest is disrupted by men in military uniform and gunfire is heard.
As night time descended, protesters continued to film and share videos of the shootings. Later in the evening, videos of the victims were also shared on social media.”
The Lagos state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has in different interviews, stated that he never ordered the military to the Lekki tollgate where the protesters gathered.
However, in a statement released on Tuesday, October 27, the Nigerian Army says its officers were invited by the state government to enforce the curfew imposed by the state government. The Army in the statement, denied shooting any of the protesters.
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