February 16, 2025

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Tension in Abuja and Lagos as Nigerians remember 20th October 2020

Tension in Abuja and Lagos as Nigerians remember 20th October 2020
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It is Anniversary of a phantom massacre- Lai

By Okwo Romeon Abuja and Anthonia Okwuolise Lagos

Nigerian youths will forever remember the gruesome murder of their peers at Lekki Tollgate Lagos, and across the Country as the first anniversary of the #EndSARS protests was marked across the country, Abuja, and Lagos. The anniversary activities were marked with tension across the major cities, including Abuja, and Lagos. Uyo, and Ibandan prompting the Federal Government and security agents to sent a note of warning to protesters to suspend the public protests, but was defiled by the organizers.

Within the week, the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, at the National Economic Council (NEC) said, protesters should look for other ways to mark the #endsar anniversary, and allow peace in the Country.

The National Economic Council (NEC) had strongly advised those behind the planed public protests across the country to mark the anniversary of the #EndSARS, to consider other lawful alternative means of engagement.

According to the Vice President,”the current security situation across the country, and the possibility of such protests being hijacked by armed hoodlums, and other opportunistic criminals to cause mayhem at such protest events, and venues. Council, therefore, urges the organisers to reconsider their plan.”

Also during the week, the Lagos State Police Command has earlier warned that it will not tolerate any form of planned protests on the streets of Lagos, but speaking to journalists later on the national television. The police boss claimed, protesters will be allowed on public progression, but they may not be allow to wait in a designated areas. This was coming after much condemnations from members of the civil society across the Country.

Musical mantra like Falz who was among the voices that spearheaded the protest, his Instagram page and condemned efforts by authorities to halt the anniversary, particularly after an event centre earlier scheduled as venue for the memoriam pulled out.

“Many Nigerians were killed last year when their only demands was for the police authority to stop brutality on Nigerians who were continually been killed by the disbanded police squad, but more than a year now, no one has been punished on those heinous crimes committed by Police.
In a tweet development, the Honorable minister of information, and orientation Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in his #endsar anniversary press briefing on Wednesday in Abuja, had described the police activity at Lekki Tollgate as a phantom massacre.
In text to journalists,The Minister said,
“Today marks the first anniversary of the phantom massacre at Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos, which was the culmination of an otherwise peaceful protest, that was later hijacked by hoodlums. At earlier press conferences, I had called the reported massacre at the toll gate, the first massacre in the world without blood or bodies. One year later, and despite ample opportunities for the families of those allegedly killed, and those alleging a massacre to present evidence, but there has been none. No bodies, no families, no convincing evidence, nothing at all to show. Where are the families of those who were reportedly killed at the toll gate? Did they show up at the Judicial Panel of Inquiry? If not, why?

Sadly, the champions of a massacre at the Lekki Toll Gate, including Amnesty International and CNN, have continued to shamelessly hold on to their unproven stand. Recall, gentlemen, that after bandying different figures, Amnesty International finally settled at about 12 people killed. On its part, CNN went from 38 people killed to two to just one, after a supposed global exclusive, even when the network had no reporter on ground at the Lekki Toll Gate on Oct. 20th 2020.

On Monday, the Judicial Panel of Inquiry that was set up by the Lagos State Government after the EndSARS protest wrapped up its sittin, during the sitting. CNN was summoned, but it never showed up, thus, missing a great opportunity to prove its allegation of massacre at the toll gate. Also, Amnesty International had a golden opportunity to convince the world, but it rather opted for issuing meaningless press releases in its latest attempt to grasp at straws, and redeemed whatever is left of its battered credibility on this issue. CNN has continued with its baseless report that soldiers shot at protesters. In a report currently running on the network. CNN brazenly, and unashamedly held on to its flawed narrative, relying on an unidentified mother whose son was reportedly shot dead at Lekki, but without convincing evidence of who shot him dead. The same CNN that tweeted on Oct. 23rd 2020 that 38 people were shot dead at Lekki, is now struggling to convince the world that one boy was killed at Lekki. What a shame! The testimony of ballistic experts before the Judicial Panel of Inquiry in Lagos contradicts, the tales by the moonlight by Amnesty International. CNN, a runaway DJ and their like. The experts, in their testimony said, inter alia:
”The Team finds that from the medical data examined, including the timeline of arrival at medical facility, and the nature of the injuries sustained by the Victims, who were taken to the 5 medical facilities, that no military grade live ammunition (high- velocity) was fired at the protesters (emphasis mine) at Lekki Tollgate on 20th October 2020, within the timeframe of reference (18.30-20.34hrs). That the GSW (Gun Shot Wounds) injuries (4 in number between 19:05 and 19:45 hrs), which were examined by the Team, can be safely identified as being discharged by either low velocity caliber and/or artisanal/12-gauge firearms (artisanal firearms are locally- fabricated weapons). What is however certain is that had the military personnel deliberately fired military grade live ammunition directly at the protesters; there would have been significantly more fatalities and catastrophic injuries recorded. This was clearly not the case.” (emphasis mine)

The ballistic experts are not alone in reaching that conclusion. In its 2020 Country Report on Human Rights Practices, the U.S. State Department wrote:

“On Oct. 20th (2020), members of the security forces, and enforced curfew by FIRING SHOTS INTO THE AIR (emphasis mine) to disperse protesters, who had gathered at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos to protest abusive practices by the Nigeria Police Force Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

“Accurate information on fatalities resulting from the shooting, was not available at year’s end. Amnesty International reported 10 persons died during the event, but the government disputed Amnesty’s Report, and NO OTHER ORGANIZATION WAS ABLE TO VERIFY THE CLAIM (emphasis mine).”
With the preponderance of evidence against any massacre at the Lekki Toll Gate on Oct. 20th 2020, we are once again reiterating what we said one year ago, that:
According to the Minister,The military did not shoot at protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate on Oct. 20th 2020, and there was no massacre at the toll gate. The only ‘massacre’ recorded was in the social media, hence there were neither bodies nor blood.

ii) Amnesty International, CNN, a runaway DJ, and others like them should apologize for misleading the world that there was a massacre at the Lekki Toll Gate and for portray.

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