Police brutality protests: Buhari keeps mute on alleged military killing of Nigerian youths
The Nigerian President, Muhammed Buhari has kept mute over the gruesome murder of number of youths by the military on Tuesday in Lekki area of Lagos State, even as there were chaos in several parts of the country and widespread criticisms over the sad incident
Penpushing reports that, Buhari silence 24 hours after the brutal killing of the innocent youths who were protesting peacefully against brutality of the police, continued to baffle Nigerians both home and in diaspora
The Nigerian youths two weeks ago spearheaded the protest against bad policing, and this was endorsed by larger percentage of the citizens, and thereafter government consented to the protest, disbanding the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and christened it with a new name Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT)
Penpushing further reports that, the protesters considering the government concession as a mere change of name make additional demands, which include better welfare for the policemen among others
The development took a deadly dimension when Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Tuesday announced a curfew with effect from 4pm, and thereafter the state security agents used lethal force against demonstrators
Penpushing also reports that, at about 7pm army stormed the Lekki toll gate venue of the peaceful protest opened gunfire on unarmed protesters killing number of them, who were carrying Nigerian flag
The investigation as at the time of filing this report showed that casualty level remains uncertain but several Nigerians who followed an Instagram livestream of the shooting said they watched as bullets hit the innocent and patriot civilians.
Penpushing reports that, before the military operations, the lights in the vicinity and the CCTV on the road had been put off, apparently to keep identities of the soldiers carrying out the killings, while the military operations had continued to receive condemnation within and outside the country.
The former American Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton, in reaction called on Buhari and the military in Nigeria to stop wasting precious lives of the youths, while the Amnesty International said it “received credible but disturbing evidence of excessive use of force occasioning deaths of protesters at Lekki toll gate in Lagos.”
Penpushing further reports that, the United Nations(UN) called for an end to attacks on protesters, while the Democratic candidate in the coming America presidential election, Joe Biden, condemned the state-linked violence in Nigeria, urging authorities in his country to take actions.
Penpushing further reports that, the United Nations (UN) called for an end to attacks on protesters, while the Democratic candidate in the coming America presidential election, Joe Biden, condemned the state-linked violence in Nigeria, urging authorities in his country to take actions.
The Nigerian former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo while reacting condemned the shooting and murder of the unarmed protesters, stating that it was obvious that President Muhammed Buhari and his lieutenants did not exhaust the opportunities for dialogue with the protesters before resulting to use of force
Penpushing reports that, Obasanjo in a letter forwarded to Buhari, titled, ’Statement on Violence Against Protesters in Nigeria: An Appeal for Calm’, said he wrote the statement with a heavy heart and deep sense of concern about the ongoing violence.
The former President pointed out that shooting and murder of unarmed protesters, no matter the level of provocation has never been effective in suppressing public anger and frustration; instead, such actions only reinforce the anger and frustration of the populace and close the window of dialogue and peaceful resolution.
‘It is with a heavy heart and deep sense of concern about the ongoing violence, chaos and unrest in many parts of Nigeria that I make this appeal to the government and people of our dear country, Nigeria , to eschew violence and embrace peace and dialogue in finding solutions to the challenges we face as a country’, he said.
Penpushing also reports that, despite clear evidences of the army responsible for the killing, the authorities failed to admit, but sources revealed that the violent incident has unsettled the army command chain.
Meanwhile, Governor Sanwo-Olu who announced a curfew which eventually led to the untimely death of the innocent Nigerian youths in response to the sad development said the “forces beyond” his control ordered the shooting.
