Today, Thursday 20 October, 2022, marks the second anniversary of the massacre of Nigerian youths at the Lekki Toll gate as a result of the EndSARS nationwide protests.
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| A protester with a Nigerian flag at one of 2020’s demonstrations against police brutality and Sars (special anti-robbery squad). Photo: Pius Utomi Ekpei/AFP/Getty via theguardian.com |
Nigerians are asking how loyal the Nigerian government is to its citizens, assuring that the unfortunate incident will affect the forthcoming 2023 elections.
Most Nigerians are of the belief that, the government of the country has no iota of care for the lives of its citizens , as well as, Politicians are solely interested in making power revolve around them and then capitalize on the challenges the masses are facing and use them to clinch top positions of power during elections.
Nigerians, mainly the youth, took to the streets, during this period in 2020, to protest against Police cruelty and intimidation against the innocent citizens.
Particularly, they demanded the ban on the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, unit of the Nigeria Police.
A judicial panel of inquiry set up by the State government discovered, by the order of the hierarchy of the military, “the soldiers invaded the Lekki tollgate on October 20, 2020 shot, injured and killed unarmed helpless and defenceless protesters, without provocation or justification, while they were waving the Nigerian Flag and singing the National Anthem” thereby committing a massacre.
The panel went ahead to discover that, the officers of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF), who were deployed to the Lekki Toll gate on the night of the unfortunate incident “shot at, assaulted and battered unarmed protesters, which led to injuries and deaths,” thus aiding the army in the commission of a massacre on unarmed civilians.
The repeated denials by the Army, Nigerian government alongside the Lagos State government came to an end following the findings of the panel, which was released in 2021. The panel concluded that massacre was committed by the soldiers of the 65 Battalion of the 81 Garrison Division, Bonny Camp, led by Sanusi Ovada Bello, a lieutenant colonel.
According to dailypost.ng:
And evoking the negative memories of the event recently, Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, had insisted that no lives were lost during the Lekki tollgate gate incident.
Oluomo, who serves as the Chairman of Lagos Parks and Garages Management, made this claim while addressing supporters of the All Progressives Congress, APC, during their 5-million man march to support the candidacy of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in Lagos on Sunday.
The transport boss argued that it was not possible that there would have been killing of protesters and the corpses would not be found nor would the families of the deceased coming out to ask for their loved ones.
Speaking to dailypost;
A security expert, based in Lagos, Bundesaan Terdue, said, “It is unfortunate that no one takes responsibility for a disaster such as this. This is over two years after innocent citizens were killed no one whether in the army or in government have been made to pay.
“This government has been insincere. The people who were massacred, I say may their souls continue to rest in peace. They died for a good course. What else can we say? The government denied these people ever existed but their blood will continue to cry. It happened before our very eyes and CNN and international organisations saw it. They reported it and Twitter was banned for it. That is the government we’re in. The panel’s report was thrown aside and trampled upon and all the huge resources used for investigations became total waste. But let me tell you something, at the appointed time, the truth of what happened at Lekki Tollgate will surface.”
On the planned memorial for the lives lost at the Lekki Toll gate, he said, “it is an unpredictable situation. My advice to the youths is they should make up their minds to change this set of politicians . They’re free to gather and hold a memorial service for their compatriots who died fighting for a better country and a responsible government should provide security for the peaceful walk. But you never know.”
A clothes trader at AMAC Market, Eleveke James, said, “There is no atom of sincerity from the government regarding this EndSARS matter. First they denied that no one died. Can you remember when Babajide Fashola went to the scene of the event and took possession of a camera? Please what was the content of the camera? That’s what I’m saying. They set up a panel which exposed them and they thrashed the report. There is no sincerity. They have been lying to Nigerians.
“I don’t think the youths will forget so easily. It would remain fresh in their heart. Remember how social media reacted when the Labour Party listed General Enenche in its campaign council. I can tell you for free, the EndSARS protest will affect the 2023 election.”
A businesswoman, Teniola Olu, said, “We’ll keep remembering those innocent protesters in Lagos.
“This particular government has never been sincere to the citizens. You said no one died but your panel of investigation said otherwise. Instead of adhering to the report, what you did was throw it away. Now, I’m telling the youths, don’t let these politicians buy your conscience in 2023. The only way we can immortalise those killed at Lekki Tollgate is to vote in the right people to bring about the desired change.”
