Lekki Shooting: Amnesty International Tells FG ‘… bring to justice those behind the shooting’

Human rights group, Amnesty International has asked the Federal Government not to cover up the shooting at the Lekki Toll Gate during the #EndSARS protests but should bring to justice those involved.

The recent report released by the rights group read, “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 report read.

“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.”

In the report published on Wednesday, the rights group provided details of the timeline of events from when the protests started on October 20, 2020. The group said 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,” the group added.

“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?”

According to the Country Director of Amnesty International, Osai Ojigho, “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.”