The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has condemned the shooting and
killing of some protesters at Lekki in Lagos on Tuesday.
NBA’s President, Olumide Akpata Akpata, condemned the act in a statement
on Wednesday in Abuja.
Akpata said that the attention of the association was drawn to the
“dastardly shooting and killing of #ENDSARS protesters at the Lekki Toll
Plaza in Lagos State’’ by the Nigerian Army.
“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 army, based on reports available to us, it appears to have been a
carefully calculated and premeditated attack.
“Even if the protesters at the Lekki Toll Plaza were in breach of the
curfew imposed by the Lagos State Government, such a misdemeanour or
breach did not warrant the use of live ammunition by the Nigerian
military to confront otherwise peaceful, unarmed and defenceless
protesters.
“To be clear, the events of today (Tuesday) are events that we should
never see or consider as normal in any democracy,’’ he stated.
Akpata called on the military high command to immediately identify and
name the officers involved in the shooting “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 the right to life) of
the affected citizens,’’ he said.
Akpata said that following the degenerating nature of the crisis, an
emergency meeting of the National Executive Committee of the association
would be convened within the next 48 hours.
According to him, this is 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.
“The NBA believes that the current situation in the country calls for
dynamic leadership, and as critical stakeholders in the Nigerian
project, invites the President of Nigeria and others in authority to
show uncommon leadership in saving the situation.’’
He said showing uncommon leadership now was preferable to “deploying
troops against defenseless citizens whom they swore an oath to
protect’’. (NAN)