The human rights group, Amnesty International has asked the Federal
Government not to cover up the shooting at the Lekki Toll Gate during
the #EndSARS protests but rather bring to justice those involved.
In its latest report published on Tuesday, the rights group released
details of the timeline of events from when the protests started on
October 20, 2020.
“Amnesty International is again calling on Nigerian authorities to bring
to justice those behind the shooting and to protect those who are
exercising their right to freedom of assembly,” the report read.
“The organization is still investigating the shooting and the reported
removal of bodies of those killed by the military in an attempt to
remove evidence.”
The rights group noted that it had been monitoring developments across
the country since the #EndSars protest began on October 8.
“What happened at Lekki Toll Gate has all the traits of the Nigerian
authorities’ pattern of a cover-up whenever their defence and security
forces commit unlawful killings,” the group added.
“One week on, the Nigerian authorities still have many questions to
answer: who ordered the use of lethal force on peaceful protesters? Why
were CCTV cameras on the scene dismantled in advance? And who ordered
electricity being turned off minutes before the military opened fire on
protesters?”
According to the Country Director of Amnesty International, Osai Ojigho,
“The initial denials of the involvement of soldiers in the shooting was
followed by the shameful denial of the loss of lives as a result of the
military’s attack against the protests.
“Many people are still missing since the day of the incident, and
credible evidence shows that the military prevented ambulances from
reaching the severely injured in the aftermath.”
Tracking the military’s movements
The human rights group equally said it tracked the military’s movements
before the incident as narrated below:
Amnesty International’s Crisis Response experts investigated and
verified social media videos and photographs that confirm the Nigerian
security forces were present at the Lekki Toll Gate when the shootings
occurred.
At 6:29pm local time in Lagos, two military vehicles were filmed leaving
Bonny Camp on videos shared on social media.
Later footage shows four vehicles with flashing lights in a convoy, and
they appear to be vehicles used by the Nigerian military and police.
The same vehicles headed east along Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue – which
changes its name to the Lekki-Epe Expressway – in the direction of the
Lekki Toll Gate.
On this route, the vehicles pass several international embassies and
consulates, including the Japanese Embassy and the Australian High
Commission.
Further photographs and footage capture the vehicles arriving at the
toll gate, before the peaceful protest is disrupted by men in military
uniform and gunfire is heard.
As night time descended, protesters continued to film and share videos
of the shootings. Later in the evening, videos of the victims were also
shared on social media.
Protests Against Police Brutality
Nigerians had taken to the streets, peacefully demanding an end to
police brutality, extrajudicial executions, and extortion by the Special
Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a unit of the Nigeria Police Force tasked
with fighting violent crimes.
According to Amnesty International, at least 56 people have died in the
nation since the protests began.
In multiple cases, it added, security forces used excessive force in an
attempt to control or stop the protests, noting that based on its
investigations, the protests had been peaceful until force was used.