6 Feared Dead, Many Injured As Soldiers Open Fire At Lagos EndSARS Protesters

Posted by African Examiner African News, Featured, Latest Headlines, News, News Across Nigeria, News From The State, West Africa Wednesday, October 21st, 2020

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Heavy gunshots were heard at the Lekki tollgate area of Lagos State on Tuesday as soldiers reportedly opened fire on #EndSARS protesters.

Six persons were feared dead in the attack while many injured victims have been rushed to nearby hospitals.

An eyewitness, Samuel Ajani, said many protesters were injured.

Ajani noted that the shooting caused pandemonium as protesters scampered to safety.

He said, “They shot at us. They initially started shooting into the air. We were all scared but some people told us not to run. We then surrounded ourselves in clusters.

“Their faces were covered. We did not know that that was their plan when they put off the light. They forgot that we have our phones and can stream live. Some people ran away but others stood. I hid behind a cemented barricade.

“They shot a guy right in front of me. The guy wanted to bend when the gunshot hit him. He started bleeding. Later we rushed to save him but he stopped breathing.”

Also, videos of continuous gunshots had gone viral on social media.

Global human rights organisation, Amnesty International, condemned the attack, saying the “excessive use of force” occasioned “deaths of protesters at Lekki toll gate in Lagos”.

“While we continue to investigate the killings, Amnesty International wishes to remind the authorities that under international law, security forces may only resort to the use of lethal force when strictly unavoidable to protect against imminent threat of death or serious injury,” it added.

The state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, had declared a 24-hour curfew, citing the violence that greeted the #EndSARS protest in the state.

Some of the protesters, who claimed that the timing was short, refused to vacate the protest ground.

The Punch