Amnesty International.
Amnesty International has accused the Nigerian Police
and the Nigerian Army of killing at least 12 protesters and
injuring several others at two locations in
Lagos.
The killings according to the rights group took place in Lekki
and Alausa, where thousands were protesting against police
brutality as part of the #EndSars movement.
Although the military had debunked the reports, Amnesty
International said that evidence gathered from eyewitnesses, video
footage and hospital reports confirm that between 6:45 pm and 9:00
pm on Tuesday 20 October, the Nigerian military opened fire on
thousands of people who were peacefully calling for good governance
and an end to police brutality.
Witnesses at the Lekki protest grounds told the rights group
that soldiers arrived at about 6:45 pm local time on Tuesday
evening, and opened fire on #EndSars protesters without warning.
Eyewitnesses at Alausa protest ground said they were attacked by a
team of soldiers and policemen from the Rapid Response Squad (RRS)
Unit at about 8:00 pm, leaving at least two people dead and one
critically injured.
“Opening fire on peaceful protesters is a blatant violation of
people’s rights to life, dignity, freedom of expression, and
peaceful assembly. Soldiers clearly had one intention – to kill
without consequences”.
Amnesty International received reports that shortly before the
shootings, CCTV cameras at the Lekki toll gate, where #EndSARS
protesters had been camped for two weeks, were removed by
government officials and the electricity was cut – a clear attempt
to hide evidence. As in previous cases documented by Amnesty
International, some of those killed and injured at both grounds
were allegedly taken away by the military.
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“These shootings clearly amount to extrajudicial executions.
There must be an immediate investigation and suspected perpetrators
must be held accountable through fair trials. Authorities must
ensure access to justice and effective remedies for the victims and
their families”.
The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Wednesday
visited the injured protesters at the hospital
[READ ALSO] Lekki Shooting: 28 Injured
#EndSARS Protesters Taken To Hospital, Says Sanwo-Olu
In a series of tweets, the governor said at least 28 people were
injured on Tuesday when soldiers shot at #EndSARS protesters in the
Lekki area of the state.
Although he was silent on the number of fatalities, he visited
the victims who sustained various degrees of gunshot wounds as a
result of the action of the soldiers.
Governor Sanwo-Olu explained that the injured victims were
receiving medical treatment across three hospitals in the
state.
According to him, 10 victims are being treated at the General
Hospital, 11 at Reddington, and four hospitalised at Vedic medical
facility.
The governor confirmed that the victims sustained mild to
moderate levels of injuries, but two were receiving intensive
medical care.
He added that three patients have so far been discharged from
the hospital, while 25 others were on admission at the time of this
report.
On why it took him long to react to the shooting, Governor
Sanwo-Olu said he had to prioritise the welfare of the victims of
the unfortunate incident.
“This is the toughest night of our lives as forces beyond our
direct control have moved to make dark notes in our history, but we
will face it and come out stronger,” he said.