(Abuja) – Nigerian authorities have made no effort to ensure justice for the killing of protesters in Lagos state in 2020, six months after a judicial panel implicated security forces in the abuses, Human Rights Watch said today. The authorities should act on the panel’s recommendations and hold those responsible to account.
“The report of the judicial panel of inquiry should not be swept under the rug without any consequences for those responsible for killing and injuring protesters,” said Anietie Ewang, Nigeria researcher at Human Rights Watch. “A failure to act on the panel’s recommendations will send a painful message to victims and risks encouraging more violence by security officers.”
In October 2020, young people across Nigeria took to the streets calling for the disbandment of an abusive police unit known as the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and for an end to brutality, in a movement using the hashtag #EndSARS. Security forces responded with excessive force, including gunfire. One of the worst crackdowns was at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos on October 20, when army and police officers opened fire on a crowd of protesters, leaving people dead and wounded.
In response, the Lagos state governor, Babajide Sanwolu, mandated a judicial panel of inquiry to investigate the incident and provide recommendations for justice and accountability.
The panel heard testimony for a year, from victims and representatives of the army, the police, and hospitals that treated victims. It found in November 2021 that the security forces shot, injured, and killed unarmed protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate, corroborating Human Rights Watch findings.
The panel also presented a list of at least 48 casualties, including nine dead, four missing and presumed dead, and 21 wounded by gunshots. The panel recommended appropriate disciplinary measures and dismissals of army officers implicated in the abuses. The panel also recommended prosecuting police officers…
