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Amnesty, FG Rekindle Bitter Fight Over Lekki Toll Gate Shooting
Amnesty International has accused the Federal Government of covering up those responsible for the shooting of #EndSARS protesters at Alausa and Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos State in October, 2020.
The NGO made this allegation in a statement issued 100 days after the Lekki Toll Gate shooting that resulted in the death of no fewer than 12 protesters.
Amnesty International said that instead of the government bringing suspected perpetrators of the Lekki shooting to justice they have subjected supporters of the protest to intimidation.
AI noted that the violent dispersal of peaceful protesters have cast a shadow over Nigerian society that lingers to this day.
The NGO highlighted that since the assault, authorities only targeted supporters of the protest noting that some protesters have had their bank accounts frozen.
In the statement, the AI’s Director in Nigeria, Osai Ojigho, demanded justice for victims of the shootings.
“Instead of bringing suspected perpetrators of #Lekki shooting to justice and prioritizing genuine police reforms, Nigerian authorities have been abusing their powers by subjecting those who supported the protests to intimidation, harassment and smear campaigns.
“The bloody events of October 20, 2020, when Nigerian security forces killed, at least, 12 people during the violent dispersal of peaceful #EndSARS protesters at Lekki and Alausa, have cast a shadow over Nigerian society that lingers to this day.
“Since the assault by security forces, which killed, at least, 12 people, Nigerian authorities have targeted supporters of the protests against police brutality by the disbanded SARS. Some of the movement’s supporters have had their bank accounts frozen.
“Nigerian government failed to bring to justice those suspected to be responsible for the brutal crackdown by security forces on peaceful #EndSARS protesters at Lekki Toll Gate and Alausa in Lagos in October, 2020, and have brazenly attempted to cover up the violence.
Amnesty International has called on the Nigerian government to suspend accused officials, pending investigations, and to ensure that victims access justice and effective remedies.
But in a bitter reaction, the Federal Government said Amnesty International (AI) was becoming an irritant with disinformation and double standard, and would soon lose its respect and credibility.
The government said this position in response to the AI allegation of cover-up in the handling of the purported crackdown and killings of EndSARS protesters at Lekki Toll Gate, Lagos in October, 2020.
In a release to mark 100 days of the Lekki Toll Gate incident, AI, a global movement on a campaign to end abuses of human rights, alleged that Nigerian authorities were covering up in bringing the perpetrators of the purported killings to book.
Speaking with newsmen, yesterday, in Abuja, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, accused AI of disinformation and double standard.
Specifically, the minister said AI had no proof to justify its claim that 12 people were killed by the military at the Lekki Toll Gate.
“If Amnesty International has any proof, it should come out with it or shut up.
“They should take advantage of the Judicial Panel of Enquiry set up by Lagos State to tell the names and addresses of the 12 people they claim were shot at the toll gate,’’ he said.
The minister said AI had no respect for the Nigerian Judiciary by coming out with the report while the judicial panel of inquiry was still sitting on the case.
Mohammed also accused the global body of double standard in the handling of cases involving Nigeria and some other developing countries compared to some developed world.
He said the AI did not say one word when the American government arrested and are prosecuting those who invaded Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., aftermath of the U.S. Presidential elections.
“American government has vowed that they will search, arrest and prosecute anybody involved in the attack on Capitol Hill
“When Nigeria wanted to arrest and prosecute those hoodlums responsible for the killings of 37 policemen, six soldiers during the #EndSARS protest, Amnesty International will find fault.
“At the Lekki toll gate incident in Lagos, they described the hoodlums as peaceful protesters, while the people who invaded Capitol Hill in the US were called insurrectionists.
“When the U.S. Government denied the investigators from the International Criminal Court visa to enter the U.S., we did not hear a word from Amnesty International.
“They will soon lose their respect and credibility if they continue to operate this double standard,’’ he said.
Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.