The Nigerian authorities’ must end their attempts to cover
up the Lekki Toll Gate massacre, Amnesty International said, as it released a
new timeline investigating the atrocity one week later.
The timeline collates photographs and video footage to
confirm that Nigerian Army vehicles left Bonny Camp, a military base
approximately a seven-minute drive from the toll gate, at 6.29pm local time on
20 October.
Footage then tracks the vehicles to the toll gate. At
approximately 6.45pm, the Nigerian military opened fire on the #EndSars
protesters who were peacefully calling for an end to police brutality.
READ TIMELINE HERE
“What happened at Lekki Toll Gate has all the traits of the
Nigerian authorities’ pattern of a cover-up whenever their defence and security
forces commit unlawful killings,” said Osai Ojigho, Country Director of Amnesty
International.
“One week on, the Nigerian authorities still have many
questions to answer: who ordered the use of lethal force on peaceful
protesters? Why were CCTV cameras on the scene dismantled in advance? And who
ordered electricity being turned off minutes before the military opened fire on
protesters?
“The initial denials of the involvement of soldiers in the
shooting was followed by the shameful denial of the loss of lives as a result
of the military’s attack against the protests.
“Many people are still missing since the day of the
incident, and credible evidence shows that the military prevented ambulances
from reaching the severely injured in the aftermath.”
Amnesty International is again calling on Nigerian
authorities to bring to justice those behind the shooting and to protect those
who are exercising their right to freedom of assembly.
The organization is still investigating the shooting, and
the reported removal of bodies of those killed by the military in an attempt to
remove evidence.
Tracking the
military’s movements
Amnesty International’s Crisis Response experts investigated
and verified social media videos and photographs that confirm the Nigerian
security forces were present at the Lekki Toll Gate when the shootings occurred.
At 6.29pm local time in Lagos, two military vehicles were
filmed leaving Bonny Camp on videos shared on social media. Later footage shows
four vehicles with flashing lights in a convoy, and they appear to be vehicles
used by the Nigerian military and police.
The same vehicles head east along Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue –
which changes its name to the Lekki-Epe Expressway – in the direction of the
Lekki Toll Gate.
On this route, the vehicles pass several international
embassies and consulates, including the Japanese Embassy and the Australian
High Commission.
Further photographs and footage capture the vehicles
arriving at the toll gate, before the peaceful protest is disrupted by men in
military uniform and gunfire is heard.
As night time descended, protesters continued to film and
share videos of the shootings. Later in the evening, videos of the victims were
also shared on social media.
Amnesty International has been monitoring developments
across Nigeria since the #EndSars protest began on 8 October 2020.
Nigerians have been taking to the streets, peacefully
demanding an end to police brutality, extrajudicial executions and extortion by
the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a unit of the Nigerian police tasked
with fighting violent crimes.
At least 56 people have died across the country since
protests began. In multiple cases, the security forces have used excessive force
in an attempt to control or stop the protests.
*Statement by Amnesty International
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
It took only 16 minutes between the time the order from @MBuhari the head of SARS State-Aided Robbery Squad to shoot innocent protesters and the arrival from Bonny camp by evil messengers to execute the plot of carnage and terror. If @MBuhari lives beyond this time he will justice alongside his family and generations to come. A cursed man indeed
ReplyDelete