Lekki shooting: Amnesty International warns govt against covering up perpetrators

Nigerian authorities must end their attempts to cover up the Lekki Toll Gate massacre, Amnesty International said on Wednesday.

The right organization released a new timeline investigating the attack that occurred in Lagos on October 20.

The timeline collates photographs and video footage to confirm that Nigerian Army vehicles left Bonny Camp at 6:29 pm.

The military base is approximately seven minutes drive from the toll gate.

Amnesty said footage tracks the vehicles to the scene and at approximately 6:45 pm, soldiers opened fire on peaceful End SARS protesters, calling for an end to police brutality.

The shooting sparked global outrage. Countries including the United States have called for prosecution of culpable security personnel.

“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 told 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 confirmed that it was investigating the shooting, and the reported removal of bodies of those killed by the military in an attempt to remove evidence.