Lekki Massacre: Reps Minority Caucus Demands Sack Of Minister

The Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives has reacted to the report submitted by the Lagos State Judicial panel on Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS)-related abuses.
On October 19, 2021, the state government inaugurated the panel as part of recommendations put forward during the #EndSARS protests last year.
The report found that the Nigerian Army and police fired live bullets at peaceful protesters at the Lekki Tollgate last year.
It also concluded that the “deliberate absence of officers of the Nigerian Army who were present at the Lekki Toll Gate and who were summoned by the Panel was a calculated attempt to conceal material evidence from the Panel”.
Reacting in a statement, the Minority Caucus said attempts by the Nigerian government officials to cover up the massacre at the Lekki Tollgate suggests a high-level state-backed conspiracy against Nigerians.
The statement, signed by Ndudi Elumelu, the minority leader of the House, queried the motive of the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, that made him rush to the media, ahead of the judicial panel, to insist that there were no killings at Lekki Tollgate, even in the face of testimonies of witnesses.
It, therefore, urged the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration to come clean on the killings.
The Minority Caucus, therefore, urged Nigerians to remain calm, vowing to leave no stone unturned in using legislative instruments to join forces with other well-meaning Nigerians.
The statement reads, “The Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives, after a thorough review of the report of the Lagos State EndSARS judicial panel, holds that the attempt by officials of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government to cover up the now confirmed bloody massacre of Nigerians youths by security forces at the Lekki Tollgate suggests a high-level state-backed conspiracy against Nigerians.
“The confirmation by the Lagos Panel that there was indeed a massacre at the Lekki Tollgate during the 2020 EndSARS protests in Lagos and that APC government-controlled security forces carted away bodies and mopped up evidence, places a huge burden on the Federal Government which had vehemently denied any killings.
“The Minority caucus is therefore apprehensive as to what furtive motive must have made the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who ought to know the truth, to rush to the media, ahead of the judicial panel, to insist that there were no killings at Lekki Tollgate, even in the face of testimonies of witnesses at the sad event.
“Whereas the proclivity of the APC-led administration to lie to Nigerians on issues is legendry and known to all, our caucus is however shocked that the administration can lie in a matter that has to do with the gruesome killing of citizens, particularly our youths and even attempt to provide official cover to the culprits.