#LekkiMassacre puts Lai Mohammed on the spot because he tried to cover it up. His strategy has backfired and the people are angry
Information Minister, Lai Mohammed, was not one of the soldiers that fired bullets at peaceful protesters in the Lekki area of Lagos State on October 20, 2020. But his role in denying the killings has set Nigerians, albeit the world, against him.
A counsel to the Cable Network News (CNN) in Nigeria, Olumide Babalola, is asking Lai Mohammed to tender an apology to the medium for labelling its investigative report on the #LekkiMassacre fake news.
The Information Minister had in a press conference, said the CNN report on the #LekkiMassacre “did not just fall short of journalistic standards but reinforces the disinformation that is going around on the issue.”
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But the Lagos State panel on #EndSARS and the #LekkiMassacre, has confirmed that the event of October 20, 2020, fits the definition of a massacre.
The Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives led by Ndudi Elumelu wants Lai Mohammed sacked as Information and Culture minister if he fails to voluntarily resign.
“The Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives, after a thorough review of the report of the Lagos State #EndSARS judicial panel, holds that the attempt by officials of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government to cover up the now confirmed bloody massacre of Nigerians youths by security forces at the Lekki Tollgate suggests a high-level state-backed conspiracy against Nigerians.
“The confirmation by the Lagos Panel that there was indeed a massacre at the Lekki Tollgate during the 2020 EndSARS protests in Lagos and that APC government-controlled security forces carted away bodies and mopped up evidence, places a huge burden on the Federal Government which had vehemently denied any killings.
“The Minority caucus is therefore apprehensive as to what motive must have made the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who ought to know the truth, to rush to the media, ahead of the judicial panel, to insist that there were no killings at Lekki Tollgate, even in the face of testimonies of witnesses at the sad event.
“Whereas the proclivity of the APC-led administration to lie to Nigerians on issues is legendry and known to all, our caucus is however shocked that the administration can lie in a matter that has to do with the gruesome killing of citizens, particularly our youths and even attempt to provide official cover to the culprits.
“As representatives of the people, the minority caucus holds that killing of our young ones for having the audacity to demand justice, rule of law and good governance in our nation is the height of wickedness which will continue to haunt the APC and its administration until justice is served.
“The report of the Lagos panel shows that no matter how lies and falsehood try to prevail, the truth will always triumph at the end. The blood of the innocent slain at Lekki Tollgate cries out for justice and there will be no rest for their killers and those who give support or cover to the murderous act.
“The Minority Caucus, therefore, calls on the APC-led administration to come clean on the killings as well as the furtive moves to cover up the vicious act. Also, given the findings of the Lagos panel, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed is expected to resign immediately or be fired by President Muhammadu Buhari.”
Human Rights Lawyer, Femi Falana, has specifically asked that Lai Mohammed and the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, should be sanctioned for their cover-up schemes which has now been exposed.
He said: “I’m sure you are aware that five times, the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has said nobody was killed. The Attorney General of the Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami (SAN), said those who appeared in Lekki were not Nigerian soldiers but people just put on military uniforms to perpetrate atrocities….Anybody who attempted to cover up would be sanctioned, any of them including those who managed Lekki, the LCC, because they disabled their system in order to cover up.”
