Lekki toll gate shooting: Group tells Buhari to take full responsibility

The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has told President Muhammadu Buhari to take full responsibility for the shootings of peaceful #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki toll gate on October 20.

The group, in a statement by its spokesman, Mr. Ken Robinson, on Tuesday called on Buhari to order an immediate commencement of actions that would bring the perpetrators of the dastardly act to book.

PANDEF backed the calls made by the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria for a thorough investigation into the tragic incident.

“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.

“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,” the statement read in part.