Amnesty International, AI, a global human rights body has demanded that the federal government disclose the identities of EndSARS protesters allegedly killed in Lagos 2020.
The demand comes on the heel of a leaked memo that the Lagos state government was planning to conduct a mass burial for over 100 persons killed on October 20, 2020, during the protest against police brutality across the country.
Some human rights bodies have alleged that some protesters were killed by soldiers sent to the Lekki Toll gate, Lagos where many youths had gathered for the protest.
The state government, however, denied the allegation that the killing took place.
But a viral memo on Sunday detailing a plan by the state government to spend over N60 million to conduct a mass burial for 103 casualties has brought the controversy back to reckoning, even though the government said those concerned were not killed at the Lekki Toll gate.
Not a few Nigerians have demanded a thorough probe of the matter.
Reacting in a statement on Monday, AI Director in Nigeria, Isa Sanusi, urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to direct the state to put the burial on hold while an investigation is conducted on the true identities of the casualties being prepared for the burial.
The human rights body accused the state government of being secretive about the matter, saying the families of those killed and their families must be compensated after investigation has been concluded.
According to the statement, “The Nigerian authorities must urgently halt their plans to carry out a secret mass burial of #EndSARS victims and instead carry out a thorough and independent investigation into the killings and ensure that those suspected to be responsible are brought to justice in fair trials.
“They must also carry out transparent coroner inquests and autopsies on the 103 #EndSARS victims and publish their identities and the circumstances of their deaths.
“It is appalling that the Lagos state government has not even mentioned that it has held the bodies of 103 #EndSARS victims in its custody since October 2020.
“All those detained because of their role in the #EndSARS protests must be immediately released. The Nigerian authorities must also ensure that victims and their families are provided with access to justice and effective remedies, including adequate compensation.
“In October 2020, an on-the-ground investigation by Amnesty International confirmed that Nigerian security forces opened fire on thousands of peaceful protesters, who were peacefully calling for good governance and an end to police brutality, killing at least 12 protesters at Lekki toll gate and in Alausa.
“Amnesty International was able to establish that pro-government supporters instigated violence at many of the demonstrations, providing cover for the police to use lethal force against peaceful protesters.
“On 16 November 2020, a Judicial Panel of Inquiry set up to investigate the Lekki toll gate killings submitted its report, which indicted the military and the police for killing unarmed protesters, who were sitting on the floor and waving Nigerian flags and singing.”
The EndSARS protests began on October 8, 2020, and climaxed on October 20 when heavily armed soldiers stormed Lekki Toll gate where many Nigerians were protesting peacefully.
