From Segun Amure, (The New Diplomat’s Abuja Bureau)
Defying the Federal government (FG) order, EndSARS protesters on Thursday reaffirmed that there is no going back on the February 13th, 2021 OccupyLekki tollgate protest.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed had earlier said: “Any further resort to violence in the name of #EndSARS will not be tolerated this time, the security agents are ready for any eventuality.”
Mohammed also asked Lagosians to disassociate themselves from the fresh protests, hinting at a possible crackdown on the protesters. However, those mobilising for the protests have insisted on going ahead with it despite the threats.
The protesters said beyond the Lagos Judicial Panel which had ordered the reopening of Lekki Plaza, the ban by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on cryptocurrency accounts and other socio-political issues necessitated the protest.
In a press statement titled, ‘EndSARS Season 2; Why we will #OccupyLekkiTollGate on Saturday – Campaigners’, the protesters submitted that the cause of the planned protest was beyond the ruling of the Lagos State Judicial Panel.
The statement reads, “After commiting genocide by killing scores of people who were peacefully protesting at Lekki Tollgate and other parts of Lagos, Governor Sanwo-Olu and other oppressors wants to spit on the dead and dance on the blood of the innocent by reopening the yahoo gate to be collecting their blood money as again.”
“We say NO! We are undaunted! We will be occupying Lekki Tollgate again starting from Saturday February 13. We urge all well-meaning Nigerians to storm back all the barricades as our rulers have shown that they can never change. Since the #EndSARS, they are yet to effect any of the promises. Police brutality is still raging and SARS is still operating.
“Despite overwhelming and highly compelling evidence showing how several protesters were shot by the military, no single military personnel has been brought to book.
“Deaths have been established and many victims of the Lekki shootings have surfaced, yet neither the victims nor families of our deceased colleagues have got justice.
“After close to five months of sitting, the judicial panel meant to inquire into the Lekki massacre has refused to deliver justice to victims of the massacre most of whom have either lost their limbs due to gun wounds or have become deceased.
“Government has refused to provide employment for young people, yet they went ahead to ban the most promising source of income of young people; cryptocurrency.
“Nigerians are extremely poor and yet the cost of food is on the high side with increased cost of electricity that only produces darkness. Petrol price is being increased as marketers want it at #190 per litre.
“Nigerians are no longer secured in any part of the country; when they are not being harassed or extrajudicially murdered by police, they are being kidnapped, mimed and killed by bandits.
“Today, the life of cows has become more valuable than those of Nigerians even as our streets and communities have fallen to the rule of kidnappers and bandits.
“The Nigerian government now negotiates and enriches terrorists and bandits while chasing after, arresting, shooting and killing protesters.
“It is to this end that we call on you all to come out enmasse to demand not just justice for victims and fallen heroes of the October 20 killings but that all involved in this heinous criminality be brought to book. Come out to demand the right to life and to exist in a country that respects our rights as citizens, abhors police brutality/extrajudicial killings, provides us with security, decent jobs with good wages and other such socio-economic rights that come with being a citizen.”
