By Ishaya Ibrahim, News Editor
One month after the military shot at youths protesting and demanding an end to police brutality, a group, U.S. Nigeria Law Group, based in Washington DC, has written a letter to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), seeking investigation of Nigeria.
The #EndSARS protests which started on October 8 became bloody on Tuesday, October 20, when soldiers allegedly shot and killed a yet to be determined number of protesters at the Lekki tollgate plaza.
There has been conflicting reports as to what happened that night. While various media and eyewitness report contend that the soldiers fired live ammunition at the youths who were sitting down, waving Nigerian flag and singing the national Anthem, military authorities claim that the rules of engagement for internal security were strictly followed and nobody was shot.
Brigadier General Ahmed Ibrahim Taiwo of the 81 Division, Nigerian Army who testified under oath before the Lagos Judicial Panel on what transpired at the Lekki Tollgate on October 20, 2020, claimed that soldiers fired in the air with blank bullets to disperse those he described as hoodlums.
But writing on behalf of the group on the one month anniversary of the shootings, Emmanuel Ogebe, promoter of U.S. Nigeria Law Group, said the Army lied.
The letter which was sent to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court on Friday, November 20, “the one month anniversary of the Lekki massacre of EndSARS protesters,” and titled, “Nigerian #EndSARS atrocities – investigate Nigeria now,” urged the “international community” to “hold Nigeria to account for the massacres of its children.”
Calling the alleged massacre “a slap in the face not only on Nigeria’s youth but also on the face of the international community, the U.S. based group urged investigation.
The letter reads:
“Dear Madam Prosecutor,
“I write to you on the one month anniversary of the Black Tuesday Lekki Massacre to inform you that the twin evils of Boko Haram and Fulani militia terrorists bedeviling Nigeria have been added to by the evils of security forces themselves with the horrific crack down on #EndSARs protesters on October 20, 2020.
“Nigerians now have a terror trifecta or “tripod of terror” killing them – two distinct non-state actors and then the state.
“I was in Nigeria when the Black Tuesday Lekki massacre of dancing young #EndSARS protestors occurred as was a high level American delegation visited Nigeria including the Assistant Secretaries of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor and Conflict and Stabilization Operations.
“This was a slap in the face not only on Nigeria’s youth but also on the face of the international community who must hold Nigeria to account for the massacres of its children. If Nigeria can’t stop the terrorists, it can at least stop terrorizing it’s citizens.
“Indeed the Nigerian security forces went even further to threaten the public in a statement and openly defied the International Criminal Court.
“In view of the one month anniversary of the Lekki Massacre on November 20, I wish to submit the following for your investigation:
1. An explosive CNN investigative report today that exposes the lethal munitions used by the Nigerian army, victims and footage of the massacre in contradiction of the government’s claims.
2. A damning Premium Times investigative report that identifies perpetrators, dumped corpses and police involvement as well.
3. The video of the Nigerian Army’s and Lagos Governor’s dubious testimony in the Lagos judicial panel and public address respectively.
4. Video of the Nigerian security forces claims on the situation and defiance of ICC.”
The group recommended that the ICC should send international observers to the various judicial panels currently ongoing in Nigeria.