Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole
Soyinka on Wednesday said his enquiry so far indicated that Governor Babajide
Sanwo-Olu did not invite the army to shoot at #EndSARS protesters in Lekki.
Soyinka, who condemned the
shooting of the protesters in Lekki said the governor did not also complain of
a breakdown of law and order in the State.
He said the centre has chosen to
act in an authoritarian manner and has inflicted a near incurable wound on the
community psyche.
In his words: “It is absolutely
essential to let this government know that the Army has now replaced SARS in
the demonic album of the protesters.
“My enquiry so far indicates that
the Lagos governor did not invite in the Army, did not complain of a ‘breakdown
in law and order’. Nevertheless the
Centre has chosen to act in an authoritarian manner and has inflicted a near
incurable wound on the community psyche.”
However, Soyinka asked State
Governors where the Federal Government has deployed military to quell protests
to demand their withdrawals now to avoid further escalation of crisis.
“At that earlier mention Lagos
sector, Lekki, where most of the affirmative action gatherings had taken place,
soldiers opened fire on unarmed demonstrators, killing and wounding a yet undetermined number. One such extra-judicial
killing has drenched the Nigerian flag in the blood of innocents – and not
symbolically.
“The video has, in accustomed
parlance, ‘gone viral’. I have spoken by phone to eye-witnesses. One, a noted
public figure has shared his first hand testimony on television. The government
should cease to insult this nation with petulant denials,” he said.
“To the affected governors all over the
nation, there is one immediate step to take: demand the withdrawal of those
soldiers. Convoke Town Hall meetings as
a matter of urgency. 24-hr Curfews are not the solution. Take over the security
of your people with whatever resources you can rummage.
“Substitute community
self-policing based on Local Councils, to curb hooligan infiltration and
extortionist and destructive
opportunism. We commiserate with the bereaved and urge state governments to
compensate material losses, wherever,” he added.
Soyinka said to “commence any
process of healing at all – dare one assume that this is the ultimate
destination of desire? – the Army must
apologize, not merely to the nation but to the global community – the facts are
indisputable – you, the military, opened fire on unarmed civilians. There has
to be structured restitution and assurance that such aberrations will not again
be recorded.
“Then both governance and its security arms
can commence a meaningful, lamentably overdue dialogue with society. Do not attempt to dictate -Dialogue!”
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