Connect with us

News

PANDEF asks Buhari to take full responsibility for Lekki shooting

Published

on

The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to take full responsibility for the shooting of peaceful #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki Toll Plaza in Lagos.

PANDEF, in a statement on Tuesday by it spokesman, Ken Robinson, also called on the President to order the immediate commencement of actions that would bring the perpetrators of the dastardly act to book.

The forum, in the statement also backed the call by the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria for a thorough investigation into the incident in Lagos.

The statement read: “PANDEF calls on President Muhammadu Buhari to, as Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federation, take full responsibility for the horrible occurrence at the Lekki Tollgate on Tuesday, 20th October 2020 and direct the immediate commencement of actions to bring to book those behind that incident.

“The ramifications of the Lekki Tollgate incident go beyond portraying Nigeria to the world in a bad light; it is a threat to the nation’s democracy if it is true that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had no foreknowledge of the incident.

“It raises further questions on the viability of the nation’s security architecture and its configuration vis-a-vis the need for a holistic overhaul.

Read also: PANDEF backs agitations by oil producing communities

“PANDEF has backed the call by the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria for a thorough investigation into the shooting of peaceful #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki Tollgate, Lagos, on Tuesday, last week.

“We are supporting the Catholic Bishops’ resolution, and similar expressions by patriotic individuals and groups in the country, as well as, the International Community, for an immediate and transparent probe of the incident, whereby persons in Army uniform indiscriminately shot at young Nigerians that were peacefully protesting against police brutality.

“Whoever ordered the barbaric action, and those who carried it out, should be identified and made to face the consequences. The government must ensure that justice is served. While the Federal Government had said it would investigate the incident, the seemingly delay is unbecoming.”

According to PANDEF, the probe of the shooting of EndSARS protesters at Lekki tollgate should not be undertaken by the judicial panel of inquiry set up by the Lagos State Government to probe police brutality and related extrajudicial killings.

“Lekki shooting investigation should be committed to another panel that should be set up by the Federal Government and should be comprised of men and women of impeccable character, drawn from relevant strata of the society, including the military, civil society, and representatives of the #EndSARS protesters”, PANDEF said.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now