We are shocked beyond words at the massacre of peaceful #EndSARS protesters in Lagos on Tuesday, October 20, 2020, by the Nigerian Army, who shot live bullets at young Nigerians, killing seven and wounding about 30.
For two weeks, Nigerian youths have held demonstrations, with a call to end the recently-dissolved Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), for brutality and human rights violations.
Rather than address the demands of our courageous and resolute young men and women, who just want a better Nigeria, our corrupt, inept and conscience-deprived political elite have again shown they will do anything to preserve their hold to continue the looting.
We call on those constituting the political elite – represented by the Presidency, the Federal Executive Council, the National Assembly, their peers at the state levels, the poli-thief-cians and the current military high command – to recognise that the game is up. If they cannot work for the common good of all Nigerians, they will soon be gone.
Perhaps as a result of increased anger at the massacre, we note that there has been a spate of arson targeted at public buildings and infrastructure. We call for an immediate stop to this, and ask the leaders of the #EndSARS to dissociate themselves from destruction of public assets. No amount of anger or provocation can justify the destruction of public property.
We ask the government of President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately announce concrete and actionable steps to address the demands of the #EndSARS protesters as a first instance, and also actionable steps to restructure Nigeria to a more equitable federation.
The international community is requested to pay attention to events in Nigeria. If the Buhari administration fails to act reasonably, all forms of pressure must be made to bear to avoid a crisis that can spill onto the entire sub-region.
Rescue Nigeria fully supports #EndSARS and encourages its leaders to keep the pressure on, until their objectives are fully realised.
