Africa Breathe

Nigeria:#EndSARS – Current Situation

Nigeria EndSARS

Tuesday 20th October 2020 @20:00 hours West African Time will continue to generate more questions than answers.  This was the time the security cameras operated by the The Lekki Concession Company (LCC) stopped recording coinciding with the time the Nigeria Army and the SARS unit of the Nigeria Police force were present at the Lekki Tollgate where shootings of peaceful protestors took place.

Was the Nigeria Army present? It has change from outright denial to admission to being there. 

Who shot at the protesters ? We have heard the Army were only there with blanks but live bullets casings found have revealed they were supplied to the Nigeria Army.

There are questions on why the Ambulance and emergency services were turned back? What role did the Nigeria Police / SARS unit play? Who ordered for these security operatives?

CNN have carried out independent investigations which have made the Nigeria Government respond through their Information Minister, Lai Mohammed; to threaten that they will impose sanctions on the media organisation.   CNN stick to their findings and have provided further findings on their investigations. They stand by their story.

All the protestors ever did “Was To Ask For Change”

Why would a government send their force against unarmed protesters will live ammunition? What happened to the use of water cannons? Or has corruption eroded the funds that should have been used to buy them? We never saw the police in anti-riot gear if they ever felt threatened – is this because equipment of this sort is not available since the welfare and care of the police force inept, inadequate and bedevilled with corruption?  The Change the protest were about and still are, include the lack of funding of the Police force. There has been indigenous television coverage showing the poor living standards in the Police College, we have been made aware of the uniform supply challenges, their low pay, their pension of lack of, life insurance and their wellbeing. 

DJ Switch who has been the catalyst in letting Nigeria and the world at large know what happened on the night of 20.10.2020 has NOT relented in the fight for positive Change.  She has spoken to the Canadian parliament and held interviews on CNN. 

When the lights of the Lekki Toll gate went out and the screen of the large advertising screen was turned of DJ Switch was at the tollgate.

When the shooting started DJ Switch started to stream live from the location.  There are videos which show people bleeding and motionless.  With fear to their lives, many families are not speaking up about their missing loved ones nor are the demanding justice as agressively as the should, and that is understandable.  In a country where there is no value for

human life nor where the armed forces and security operatives are held liable and accountable.  They know they stand a good chance of walking scot free when they kill and part of the protests stemmed from this as SARS operatives often boasted they will kill their victims and those they are exploiting – “and nothing will be done about it”

At the panel of enquiry on the incident the Army have stated the Lagos State invited them to the Lekki tollgate and some officers did have live ammunition as a precautionay measure.  They have also stated they are not interested in looking for DJ Switch as she has stated. 

The United Kingdom government over £10 million to fund SARS.  There has been a UK parliamentary debate “A Westminster Hall debate on e-petition 554150, relating to Nigeria and the sanctions regime’ It was suggested that murders must NOT benefit from trade or travel to the UK.

The conflicting statements and conflicting number of lives lost, frozen bank accounts of protesters and the question “is Nigeria a dictatorship?”; were some of the issues raise at the debate. The fact United Kingdom trains both the Nigeria Army and Nigeria Police who were both involved in the Lekki tollgate shootings were debated and considered as a cause for concern.

Related posts

Nigerian scientist is sequencing new COVID strain as cases surge

satofsat

Forty-one African migrants die in another shipwreck off Italy

satofsat

Fallout of EndSARS Protests: Oyigbo In Focus

satofsat

Leave a Comment

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Accept Read More