The Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) has condemned attempts to cover-up and dodged responsibilities by the federal government over the #ENDSARS panel report on Lekki incident.
Executive Director, CHRICED, Dr. Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi, in a statement on Friday also commended the men and women of integrity who sat on the panel to investigate, not only the violations of citizens’ rights by the nation’s security forces, but also the specific incident of the shooting of peaceful protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate.
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“Notwithstanding the outright lies, obfuscation and misinformation being peddled to discredit the report at the federal and state government levels, CHRICED commends the courage, determination and resilience of the men and women who spoke truth to the powers that be, by restating the truth we all know: the security forces turned the guns and bullets that should have been used to protect innocent citizens, against the very people who they have a sacred responsibility to protect.
“Unfortunately, instead of owning up to the truth, apologize, and follow the path of true restitution, top functionaries of Lagos State and the Federal Government have launched a virulent, wasteful and indefensible campaign to discredit the findings of the Judicial Panel.
“CHRICED unequivocally condemns these irresponsible acts, which are capable of inflaming further passions and obstructing the course of justice, without which there can never be true reconciliation and closure on the dastardly shootings, which claimed the lives of peaceful and harmless protesters,” Zikirullahi said.
He also condemned attempt by the Lagos State Government to downgrade the truth and dodge accountability by issuing a patently illegal White Paper, which has the objective of watering down the core findings and recommendations of the Judicial Panel.
He said this amount to further trampling on the dead, and dancing on their graves for Lagos State officials to strike down the report of an independent panel because its findings does not tally with their preconceived outcomes.
He said, “CHRICED is of the view that the so-called Walk for Peace being proposed by the Lagos State government is a provocative exercise meant to heap further pains and misery on those who were either killed or injured by the security forces during the #ENDSARS protests.
“As for some spineless youth, particularly the leadership of the Lagos State University Students Union, who have come out to ‘sycophantically’ declare they would participate in the walk, they should understand that they are writing an ignominious history for themselves.”
