A group of Nigerians in the United States of America under the auspices of Nigerians in Diaspora Organization Americas USA have strongly condemned the shooting of unarmed protesters by uniformed personnel of the Nigerian Army.
According to the group in a special statement made available to PMParrot and signed by Dr Patience Ndidi Key and Dr Yinka Tella, the shootings at Lekki Toll Gate Area of Lagos of protesters on Tuesday evening was a shocking development.
Read the full text of the statement here:
“Nigerians in Diaspora Organization Americas USA notes with regret, and strongly condemns, the shooting of unarmed protesters by uniformed personnel of the Nigerian Army, today, October 20, 2020.
“This development is particularly shocking and unacceptable considering the admirable peaceful conduct of our young people who have captured the admiration of the world with their creative and elevated advocacy for an end to the culture of police stereotyping, brutalization, and extra-judicial killings of Nigerian citizens.
“It is ironic that the peaceful cadence of the protests in the past two weeks have mostly been punctuated by hired thugs intermittently unleashed on the protesters by those who appear to be government agents. NIDO Americas USA calls on the government to act swiftly in enacting restorative justice to the aggrieved and grieving youth instead of escalating the situation by resorting to crude, gestapo tactics.
“A public apology should be issued to the youth and the nation from the highest level of government. Both the Inspector General of Police and the Chief of Army Staff must resign immediately. Perpetrators of the latest and preceding extra-judicial killings must be brought to book without further delay.
“Urgent reforms of our entire security architecture cannot be delayed any further in view of the ongoing pervasive insecurity and brigandage in most parts of the country. Nigeria must reform or risk atrophy and death.”
Packaged by Dare Raji
