Recently, Nigeria’s Information Minister called on demonstrators to cancel any plans to protest against police brutality at Lekki. The reason being, the region was prone to hoodlum attacks, and the rallies could descend to violence in the name of justice.
Any further resort to violence in the name of End Sars will not be tolerated this time. The security forces are ready for any eventuality. We therefore strongly caution those who are planning to reoccupy the Lekki toll gate on Saturday to desist.
Nigerians commemorate Lekki as a place where innocent activists lost their lives after officers shot at them. It happens that the victims of the Lekki massacre still have fresh memories of the incident. And justice is all they want.
What Happened at Lekki?
It was last year, around October, during the End Sars protests, when the incident happened. Police brutality, extrajudicial killings, human torture, and corruption had dominated most streets of Nigeria. The people alleged that the Special Anti-robbery Unit was perpetrating these acts. Sure enough, the people were not happy. When the End Sars Movement rose, it provided a platform for many to express their concerns.
The most notorious was the Soro Soke generation, which comprised of Yoruba youth. The group staged demonstrations for two consecutive weeks at the country’s capital, demanding transition. However, in October the same year, officers opened fire at peaceful demonstrators, marking an end to the protests.
According to reports, men dressed in army uniforms pointed guns at the demonstrators and started shooting them. Some ran, others hurled stones at the officers, some sustained injuries while others succumbed. Those who witnessed the incident described it as a blood birth. The unrest resulted in six soldiers, 37 police officers, 57 civilians, and the destruction of up to 269 public and private properties.
Nigerians Protest Against Reopening of Lekki
Nigerians are not pleased with the government’s plans to reopen activities at the Lekki toll gate, considering it is a symbolic site where unarmed civilians died. Instead, they have called on people to join fresh demonstrations seeking justice for their deceased fellows. With the help of social media, many people are yet to join their campaigns.
Their slogan being “You cannot open a tollgate where victims of state-sanctioned murder are yet to get justice.”
As the support is massive, some people have even advised the protestors to wear protective gear as police brutality may occur. Meanwhile, some people are worried that amid the protests, looting of properties may happen. Therefore, they have added #DefendLagos to the list.
Human Rights Reaction to Lekki Protests
Violation of human rights is usually drawn to the attention of human rights activists. For instance, the incident which happened last year at Lekki sparked mixed reactions from Human rights activists who condemned the Nigerian authorities for condoning such acts. The right activists were the front liners in urging people to join Nigeria in campaigning against police brutality. And the support was overwhelming. More as the constitution permits Nigerians to hold peaceful demonstrations. Meanwhile, the judiciary is investigating the allegations that the army and police fired at the protestors.
MORE:
