A leaked judicial report has discovered that Nigeria’s military and police shot and killed unarmed anti-police brutality protesters in October final yr, earlier than cleansing up the scene to take away proof.
The report, submitted to the Lagos state authorities on Monday, was primarily based on a year-long inquiry into abuses by police forces and the killings on the Lekki toll gate in Lagos. It discovered that 11 unarmed individuals had been killed and {that a} additional 4 have been lacking and presumed useless. The report recognized 48 casualties in whole.
The leaked report described the incident as a “bloodbath”, mentioned a lot of the military officers deployed to the toll gate have been “not match and correct to serve”, and really helpful prosecuting sure policemen for his or her actions.
“On the Lekki toll gate, officers of the Nigerian military shot, injured and killed unarmed helpless and defenceless protesters, with out provocation or justification, whereas they have been waving the Nigerian flag and singing the nationwide anthem, and the way of assault and killing might in context be described as a bloodbath,” the report mentioned.
The contents of the report haven’t been confirmed by the state authorities, however a determine concerned within the inquiry confirmed to the Guardian that it was submitted to the Lagos authorities on Monday.
It’s the clearest admission but on the official stage that safety forces killed unarmed protesters, following a yr of denials and contradictory theories provided by Nigerian authorities ministers, the military and the police.
Many 1000’s of principally younger Nigerians took to the streets in “EndSars” protests throughout a number of cities final yr, demonstrating towards the infamously brutal Particular Anti-Theft Squad (Sars) unit, after which extra extensively, towards police brutality and unhealthy governance.
Protests throughout the nation have been met with excessive drive by safety companies, together with on the Lekki toll gate, the place protesters livestreamed footage on Instagram exhibiting dwell rounds being shot and demonstrators with bullet wounds.
Amnesty Worldwide mentioned not less than 12 individuals have been killed, together with at one other protest in Ikeja, Lagos.
Within the aftermath of the killings, Nigeria’s lawyer common, Abubakar Malami, mentioned the livestreams have been prone to have been manipulated and mentioned “hoodlums” carrying military fatigues might have been on the scene. The nation’s info minister, Lai Mohammed, described the incident as “a bloodbath with out our bodies”.
The 300-page report by the judicial inquiry discovered that the military got here to the scene on the request of Lagos’ governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who additionally arrange the inquiry.
The report mentioned incomplete CCTV footage of that evening, supplied by the Lekki Concession Firm, was manipulated earlier than being offered on the inquiry.
Officers concerned within the atrocities must be prosecuted and state authorities ought to present a public apology, the report mentioned.
Because the demonstrations intensified final yr, the federal government formally disbanded the Sars police unit, and plenty of states initiated judicial inquiries into police abuses. But regardless of the reforms, Sars officers accused of violence haven’t been held to account however moved into different elements of the police infrastructure.
Sanwo-Olu vowed a “correct response” to the panel’s suggestions, including {that a} “white paper” can be revealed throughout the subsequent two weeks.
“This course of will assist us begin the very tough strategy of correct reconciliation, restitution, bringing collectively of anybody … affected,” Sanwo-Olu mentioned.