Why we will #OccupyLekkiTollgate on Saturday — Campaigners

YOUTH planning another round of protest under the #OccupyLekkiTollgate have said they have a myriad of reasons, apart from the ruling of the judicial panel on reopening of the Lekki tollgate, to start fresh protest on Saturday.

The group cited government’s lackadaisical attitude to the plights of the people they were elected to serve, including many draconian policies and actions, as the reasons for the planned protest.

They itemised the reasons in a press statement titled, ‘EndSARS Season 2; Why we will #OccupyLekkiTollGate on Saturday – Campaigners’, issued on Thursday.

The organisers explained that they are undaunted by threats by security operatives and counter-protesters under the aegis of #DefendLagos.

The statement read, “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 Toll gate 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 or families of our deceased colleagues have gotten 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 Lekki massacre most of whom have either lost their limbs due to gun wounds or have become deceased.

“Despite overwhelming grounds of involvement of Governor Sanwoolu and ex-army chief, Buratai in the Lekki Massacre, neither of them have been brought to book. President Buhari instead appointed them ambassadors so they won’t be arrested and prosecuted for genocide and war crimes at the Hague. Despite EndSARS, police brutality and extrajudicial killings continue unabated.

“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 poorer 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.”