Some human rights groups have approached the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry and Restitution with pieces of evidence claimed to have indicted several Nigerian celebrities and international non-governmental organisations that participated in the #ENDSARS protests.
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According to the groups, these Nigerians and NGOs must be punished for their “gross misinformation which triggered the near-breakdown of law and order that accompanied the EndSARS protests, particularly in Lagos.”
The Groups on Monday submitted the detailed memorandum to the Registrar, Lagos Judicial Panel of Inquiry and Restitution on the #ENDSARS protests and subsequent escalation of violence across the country.
The memorandum was signed by Abdulmalik Alfa, Werigbelegha Zinake, Linda Etafia and Sadiq Abdullahi on behalf of International Human Rights Protection Forum (IHRPF), Centre for Human Rights Advancement in Nigeria (CHRAN), Global Integrity Crusade Network (GICN) and Make Nigeria Better Initiative (MNBI) respectively.
In their submission, the groups reasoned that the kind of donations the protests garnered “confirms vested interests propagated by celebrities to cause anarchy.
” The EndSARS protest across the country is assumed in many quarters to be without a leadership structure. While this position has been canvassed in numerous quarters, however, there seems to be a link with regards to the provision of logistic support to the protesters across the country.
“It is instructive to state that the EndSARS protest was funded from a well-concealed network that raised over N75 Million from donations from individuals in Nigerian and outside the shores of the country through a group called The Feminist Coalition,” the memorandum read in part.
“Distinguished Chairman and Members of the Panel, let it be stated here that Global Amnesty Watch agrees with the position of the government that indeed some vested interest used the EndSARS protests to advance a cause that would have led to anarchy in Nigeria.
“This is on the heels that the victims of the violence are both public and private concerns, as highlighted by the Lagos State Government”.
The groups noted that the continuation of the protest despite the government’s sincerity further proves that there was a premeditated plot to wreak havoc.
“We state in unequivocal terms that the continuation of the protest that eventually led to the escalation of violence was indeed premeditated and most likely sponsored with the ultimate aim of causing anarchy in Nigeria.
“It is instructive to note that some group of individuals undermined the peace initiatives introduced by the government towards finding a lasting solution by the continuous instigation of youths through the social media platforms”.
On the involvement of the Nigerian Military, the groups said it was in the overall best interest of the nation which averted an imminent collapse.
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