Senior Advocate of Nigeria and human rights activist, Mr Femi Falana has said the only guilty party in acts of arson and looting by hoodlums in the ongoing #EndSARS protest across the country, is the Federal Government under who's instructions, the security agencies to use force on peaceful unarmed protesters.
Falana while condemning the heinous kiIling of peaceful protesters in across the country, also demanded that those responsible for the attacks on unarmed peaceful protesters at Lekki Tollgate, Lagos State, on Wednesday, October 20, 2020, be brought to book without any further delay.
He said, “Alliance for Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond (ASCAB) unequivocally commends the young people who have been protesting peacefully all over Nigeria without engaging in any destructive activity.
“ASCAB observes that very surprisingly, since yesterday, gangs of hoodlums have been allowed to unleash mayhem on innocent people and set fire on targeted buildings.
“To our utter dismay, the hoodlums have been allowed to operate without any restraint from security forces.
“Curiously, the advice of the ASCAB leadership for deployment of adequate security personnel to dislodge the hoodlums was ignored.
“Even the detachment of the Nigerian Army that recklessly at**cked unarmed protesters yesterday have not routed out the hoodlums in spite of the so-called operation Crocodile Smile VI,” he said.
He called for the arrest and prosecution of all persons who commit arson and wilful destruction of properties.
Meanwhile, the vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said that the Nigerian government will get justice for all victims of Tuesday night’s kiIlings of #EndSARS protesters in Lekki, Lagos State.
Osinbajo said that the losses recorded during the hijack of the nationwide protests were “irreplaceable”.
He said: “My heart goes out to all the victims of the Lekki sh**tings, and also the policemen and all other men and women who lost their lives in the past few days in different parts of Lagos and other states.
“I spoke to some of those in hospital. The pain of these terrible events is palpable in our towns and cities, and some losses are irreplaceable, but we can and will get justice for all of them. I stand with Lagos and all other affected states in these trying times.
“We pray we will never see a repeat of these tragedies in Jesus name. God bless you all.”