Nigerian youths
on October 20, 2020, took to the streets to protest against police brutality,
and some soldiers reportedly opened fire on protesters in an attempt to
disperse them, but some were allegedly killed and wounded in the attack.
The
protesters were calling on the authorities to scrap the now defunct special
anti-robbery squad (SARS) over cases of brutality, harassment, extortion and
extrajudicial killing.
Addressing
a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed
described the event at the tollgate as a “phantom massacre”.
“Today
marks the first anniversary of the phantom massacre at Lekki Toll Gate in
Lagos, which was the culmination of an otherwise peaceful protest that was
later hijacked by hoodlums,” the minister said.
“At earlier
press conferences, I had called the reported massacre at the toll gate the
first massacre in the world without blood or bodies.
“One year
later, and despite ample opportunities for the families of those allegedly
killed and those alleging a massacre to present evidence, there has been none:
No bodies, no families, no convincing evidence, nothing. Where are the families
of those who were reportedly killed at the toll gate? Did they show up at the
Judicial Panel of Inquiry? If not, why?”
“The
federal government remains proud of the security agencies for acting
professionally and showing utmost restraint all through the EndSARS protest and
the ensuing violence, an action that saved lives and properties,” he said.
“The six
soldiers and 37 policemen who died during the EndSARS protests are human beings
with families, even though the Human Rights Organizations and CNN simply
ignored their deaths, choosing instead to trumpet a phantom massacre.”
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