Amnesty International (AI) has released a timeline of the Lekki shootings which it said follow an “on-the-ground investigation” into the incident.
Nationwide protests against the now-dissolved police special anti-robbery squad (SARS) had metamorphosed into agitation for improved governance in addition to justice for victims of police brutality.
On Tuesday, soldiers opened fire at the Lekki tollgate where young protesters had been converging in Lagos.
The new timeline of the incident chronicled from how the protest was peaceful, through the firing of gunshots, and up to the statement from Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos governor, that the army was responsible for the shooting.
Amnesty International said its investigation “has confirmed that the Nigerian army and police killed peaceful protesters” in Lagos.
“The vehicles are tracked to the Toll Gate. At around 18:45 the Nigerian military opened fire on the protesters.”
Osai Ojigho, AI country director in Nigeria, accused the government of attempting to cover up the shooting at the tollgate.
According to her, “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”.
“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.”
