Lekki Toll Gate Massacre: Panel Confirms Atrocious Killing of Protesters

• A judicial panel of inquiry set up by the state government has confirmed that a massacre occurred at Lekki toll gate on October 20, 2020

• The panel states that officers of the Nigeria Police Force and soldiers of the 65 Battalion of the 81 Garrison Division, Bonny Camp were responsible for the killings

• The panel also found that protestors were prevented from receiving medical help by the soldiers

A government-appointed panel has concluded that the violence committed by Nigeria’s military on the night of October 20, 2020, at Lekki toll gate is a massacre.

Last year, the Lagos state government charged the Judicial Panel of Inquiry and Restitution at the Lagos Court of Arbitration with investigating the killings that happened at the Lekki toll gate where protesters were shot down by men Nigeria’s security forces.

The report which was released accused the Nigerian Army officers of shooting and killing unarmed protesters without provocation while they were singing the national anthem and holding the country’s flag.

The panel also found that this was worsened by the refusal of the Nigerian Army to allow ambulances into the area to render medical assistance.

This report is in line with several others about the incident that claims that the army failed to follow its rules of engagement.

Despite several videos and live streams confirming the incident, the government has continued to deny that the incident ever happened.

While receiving the report about the incident, Lagos Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has promised to implement the recommendations offered by the panel.

The report recommends that all members of the Nigerian Army that were deployed to the scene, except for one, face disciplinary action and are stripped of their status.

In addition to that, the panel demanded that more democratic principles are required to win public trust.

According to the International Centre for Investigative Reporting, Sanwo Olu has promised to issue a white paper regarding compensation and restitution for the victims.

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