PDP demands establishment of truth commission into alleged #EndSARS killings

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Saturday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently set up an independent national truth commission on the reported killing of peaceful protesters by security agencies in the country.

In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party said the commission would also look into the alleged recruitment of hoodlums by agents of government to disrupt the protest against police brutality in the country.

The PDP said it was strange that the Buhari administration had remained evasive and chose to push the responsibility of inquiry to the states despite widespread allegations of Federal Government’s involvement in crime against humanity in Nigeria.

The statement read: “PDP’s call for a national truth commission is predicated on the failure of the Buhari administration to come clean on the involvement of the military in the Lekki shooting as well as the recruiting of hoodlums to attack peaceful protesters in Abuja and other parts of the country.

READ ALSO: #EndSARS: CCTV footage reveals how soldiers arrived Lekki tollgate in seven trucks

“Nigerians remain alarmed by the contradicting claims by the government on the Lekki killing. It is recalled that in its first reaction, the military denied deploying troops to Lekki tollgate.

“This denial was followed by a strange claim by the Attorney- General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, who pointed accusing fingers to faceless hoodlums in military uniform as being responsible for the Lekki killing, only for the military to later inform the Lagos panel of inquiry that the military was invited to the Lekki tollgate by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

“In the same vein, Nigerians were disturbed by the contradicting claims by Governor Sanwo-Olu, who earlier asserted that there was no causality at Lekki tollgate only for him to admit afterwards that one person died and later changed the figure to two.

“Besides, the Federal Government has failed to make any clarifications on the viral video showing armed hoodlums being brought in vehicles belonging to security agencies and openly coordinated to unleash violence on unarmed and peaceful protesters in Abuja and other parts of the country.”

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