By Tosin Olatokunbo
Former United States of America, Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton and Atiku Abubakar are among prominent individuals who have lashed out at President Muhammadu Buhari for ordering the killing of ENDSARS protesters in Lekki, Lagos state.
The Amnesty International, AI has also described the killing as “excessive use of force” by soldiers of the Nigerian Army which occasioned the“deaths of protesters,” in Lagos.
A dozen of protesters were killed by soldiers on Tuesday, bare hours after the state government announced a 24-hour curfew in the state.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-olu has been trenchantly criticized for hurriedly imposing curfew in the entire state by prominent Nigerians who partly blame him for the cold blooded murder of peaceful protesters.
Apart from those killed, many other youths protesting against police brutality and bad governance are now lying critically ill after receiving gun shot from the soldiers.
But while speaking on the issue Clinton, a former First Lady of the US criticised the federal government for using lethal weapons on the protesting youths.
“I’m calling on @mbuhari and the @hqnigerianarmy to stop killing young #EndSARS protesters. #StopNigeriaGovernment,” Clinton said on her verified Twitter handle.
Former vice President Abubakar had earlier urge the federal government to dialogue with the angry protesters rather than ordering soldiers to kill them.
Also the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA said it has commence legal action against soldiers involved in the fatal shooting of protesters.
According to a statement signed by the National president of NBA, Olumide Apata, the body of lawyers said the Nigerian Army should immediately identify soldiers that killed the unarmed protesters in cold blood.
Nigerian Bar Association condemns the killing of peaceful #EndSARS protesters in Lagos by the Nigerian military’, the protesters’ act of misdemeanor of a breach of the curfew imposed by the Lagos State Government “did not warrant the use of live ammunition by the Nigerian military to confront otherwise peaceful, unarmed and defenseless protesters”.
The statement saidt, “The attention of the Nigerian Bar Association (“NBA”) has been drawn to the dastardly shooting and killing of #ENDSARS protesters at the Lekki Toll Plaza in Lagos State by some unidentified men of the Nigerian Military on Tuesday, 20th October 2020. From news reports on the incident, many lives were lost in the attack while several others were injured during the melee that ensued.
“The NBA strongly condemns this act of recklessness and lawlessness by the security apparatus of the Government in what, based on reports available to us, appears to have been a carefully calculated and premeditated attack.
“The NBA states that even if the protesters at the Lekki Toll Plaza were in breach of the curfew imposed by the Lagos State Government, such a misdemeanor or breach did not warrant the use of live ammunition by the Nigerian military to confront otherwise peaceful, unarmed and defenseless protesters. To be clear, the events of today are events that we should never see or consider as normal in any democracy. Against the backdrop of this ugly development, the NBA wishes to state as follows:
“The military high command is hereby requested to immediately identify and name the officers involved in this gross professional misconduct for immediate prosecution and dismissal in line with extant laws.
“The NBA shall immediately commence legal proceedings at all relevant fora (both locally and internationally) against the Nigerian Military and other relevant authorities, on behalf of the families of the victims, for abuse of power, disregard of rules of engagement and the infringement of the fundamental rights (including right to life) of the affected citizens.
” Given the degenerating nature of the crisis, an emergency meeting of the National Executive Committee (the highest decision-making body of the NBA) will be convened within the next 48 hours to review the state of the Nation and take other appropriate steps to decisively deal with the situation and prevent the nation from further going adrift.”
Akpata said the current situation in the country “calls for dynamic leadership and, as critical stakeholders in the Nigerian project”, calling on the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd) and others in authority “to show uncommon leadership in saving the situation, instead of deploying troops against defenseless citizens whom they swore an oath to protect.”
Meanwhile, Governor Sanwo-olu said he has ordered an investigation into reports of “live ammunition fired at peaceful protesters” at the Lekki Toll Plaza Tuesday evening.
According to a statement from the State’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, the governor urged residents to remain calm.
The statement said “There have been reports of shooting at the Lekki Toll Plaza, following the 24-hour curfew imposed on Lagos State to stop criminals who hid under the #EndSARS protests to unleash mayhem on innocent citizens.
“The State Government has ordered an investigation into the incident. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has advised the security agents not to arrest anyone on account of the curfew, which he urges residents to observe for the peaceful atmosphere we all cherish.”
