-By Simbiat Bakare<\/p>\n
“Sai Baba!” “Sai Baba!!” The youth chanted on the street as they
\ncampaigned for Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 thinking they had met their
\npolitical-Moses who would give them a better life; a change from the
\nmiserable one they were accustomed to. Little did they know they were
\ncampaigning for a political-Lucifer, who would deliver nothing but death
\nand more suffering to their doorstep.<\/p>\n
On Nigeria\u2019s independence anniversary in October 2020, Nigerian
\nyouths, seeing the country wasn\u2019t better since the white oppressors
\nleft their land sixty years ago, dared to confront their black
\noppressors \u2013 the Nigerian government. Many youths in different parts
\nof the country, comprising of vocal women and men, ranging from
\nMillennials to Generation Z, demanded for an end to the notorious
\nSpecial Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) unit of the Nigeria Police Force,
\nwhile also requesting an end to bad governance.<\/p>\n
With sheer determination, from both online and on-ground protesters, the
\nmovement gradually gained the attention of the world, and more-so, the
\nNigerian government.<\/p>\n
The protest was met with abrasiveness from the Buhari-led government as
\nthe administration reluctantly disbanded the SARS unit and immediately
\nreplaced it with a unit tagged SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics), which
\ncomprised of the same corrupt, callous police officers the youth had
\nbeen protesting against. The government also sabotaged the donation link
\n\u2013 in care of the Feminist Coalition \u2013 Nigerians and sympathisers had
\nbeen using to donate funds to sustain the protest, and also hired thugs
\nto disrupt various peaceful demonstrations.<\/p>\n
However, on October 20th, 2020, something more brazen happened.
\nSomething no Sai Baba campaigner could have foreseen \u2014 Buhari and his
\ncohorts premeditated the execution of Nigerian youths.<\/p>\n
While the bravest among the Nigerian youth continued exercising their
\ndemocratic right, the protest to #EndSars, at one of the famous and most
\npeaceful ground \u2013 the Lekki toll gate, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the
\ngovernor of Lagos State and a member of Buhari-led administration,
\nordered a curfew on the State. The Governor, who was aware that serious
\ntraffic usually plagued Lagosians, announced a curfew by 12 noon to be
\neffected from 4:00 pm same day.<\/p>\n
Within the same period, lights at the Lekki toll gate, a venue that had
\nnever known darkness \u2013and had become a home where many protesters
\nexercised their civil right to protest, formed new friendships, lifted
\ntheir banners, placards and flags as they asked for a better tomorrow
\n\u2013 suddenly went off.<\/p>\n
So as the youth raised their voices to the sky, singing the national
\nanthem patriotically as the day parted way for the night, the army,
\nunder the care of the commander-in-chief Muhammadu Buhari, opened fire
\non the patriotic, gallant, peaceful protesters, murdering countless
\nyouths and injuring many more.<\/p>\n
Around the same time, at about 7:00 pm, as bullets tore through the
\nflesh of the Nigerian youth, and fire from the semi-automatic guns
\nformed sparks in the gloomy cloud, the governor of the state announced
\nthat the curfew had been reviewed to take effect from 9:00 pm.<\/p>\n
With the assassination, #LekkiMassacre, already carried out, security
\nofficers who operated in Lagos State further carried out #LagosMassacre.
\nThey sprayed bullets on Lagosians in their streets, and one time,
\nsecurity officers were caught on camera shaking hands as dead bodies hit
\nthe ground.<\/p>\n
Buhari, brazen in the murder of Nigerian youths, offered no apology nor
\nexplanations, rather his speech, made on the evening of Thursday,
\nOctober 22nd, 2020, directed veiled threats and warnings to the youth if
\nthey dared to protest again \u2013 an action that is their constitutional
\nright. His deputy, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, offering no
\nexplanations either, simply pretended that the murders were of natural
\ncauses.<\/p>\n
From the East to the West, to the South, and Northern part of Nigeria,
\nthe land is soaked with the blood of innocent Nigerians through death
\nchampioned by the Buhari-led administration and perpetuated by hired
\ngovernment thugs, the Police, the Army, and security officials. This
\nalso includes deaths caused by terrorist groups that Buhari and members
\nof his administrations has refused to stop.<\/p>\n
When Nigerians chose to give Buhari a chance to become president in
\n2015, little did they know they were giving power to an indifferent
\nblood-thirsty scaremonger who would be responsible for their death, the
\ndeath of their loved ones, and who would not only refuse to recognise
\ntheir humanity, but would threaten to hurt them more.<\/p>\n
Beyond the murder that has become the highlight of Buhari\u2019s
\nadministration are the lies. One of the many lies told was by the
\ngovernor of Lagos state, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who lied on live TV that
\nthere were no fatalities in the #LekkiMassacre despite overwhelming
\nevidence showing otherwise.<\/p>\n
Another was told by the Nigerian Army, who labelled news that the army
\nwas involved in #LekkiMassacre as false, despite thousands of witnesses
\nand pictorial proof. Also, Defence spokesperson, Maj. Gen. John Enenche,
\nfurther lied that the #LekkiMassacre never happened, rather the
\noverwhelming video evidence were \u201cphotoshopped\u201d.<\/p>\n
More lies were told. The minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Hajia Farroq
\nSadiya, another member of the Buahri-led administration lied that there
\nis hardly anyone in Nigeria that had not received COVID-19 palliatives.
\nIn truth, millions of Nigerians never received the palliatives. Some of
\nthe food items meant for the masses and should have been distributed in
\nMay 2020 were discovered in October 2020, where it was hidden at a
\nwarehouse located in an area in Lagos State popularly called Monkey
\nVillage.<\/p>\n
The Buhari administration promised an end to corruption. This couldn\u2019t
\nbe farther from the truth. In the premises of the Oba of Lagos, Oba
\nRilwan Akiolu, wads of dollars were discovered, reportedly hidden in a
\ncoffin.<\/p>\n
However, the greatest lie told was when Buhari promised \u201cChange\u201d,
\npromised reduction in fuel price, money to unemployed citizens, 24-hour
\nelectricity, security, and many more.<\/p>\n
In a gory testament of his administration, Buhari cried to become
\nNigeria\u2019s president only to lead a team that lie, disregard, and
\nmurder Nigerians.<\/p>\n
_Simbiat Bakare is an expert in communications. The author of the Book:
\nLove in Hell, Simbiat\u2019s creative contents have been published in
\nMalimbe Magazine, Ekocity Magazine, The Nation, Virtue Digest, The Ready
\nWriters, Kobo, Amazon, Sons of Issachar Concepts amongst others. Aside
\nfrom being a writer, Simbiat is a feminist. She loves travelling and
\nreading fictional works of intellectual writers. She can be reached via
\nemail at: __livelyhoodwithsimbiat@gmail.
Regards,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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