Antonio Guterres, UN secretary-general
The United Nations (UN) has condemned the attack on #EndSARS protesters by security operatives at the Lekki toll gate in Lagos state.
António Guterres, UN secretary-general, in a statement by Stephane Dujarric, his spokesman, asked the federal government to probe the incident and bring the perpetrators to book.
Some protesters were reportedly killed and several others injured on Tuesday night after security operatives opened fire on protesters agitating against police brutality.
Guterres noted that the UN is abreast the situation while calling on the government to bring the unrest to a stop.
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“The Secretary-General is following recent developments in Nigeria and calls for an end to reported police brutality and abuses. He condemns the violent escalation on 20 October in Lagos which resulted in multiple deaths and caused many injuries. He expresses his condolences to the bereaved families and wishes a speedy recovery to those injured,” the statement on the UN website read.
“He calls on the Nigerian authorities to investigate these incidents and hold the perpetrators accountable.
‘The Secretary-General urges the security forces to act at all times with maximum restraint while calling on protestors to demonstrate peacefully and to refrain from violence.
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“The Secretary-General encourages the authorities to swiftly explore avenues to de-escalate the situation. He reiterates the readiness of the United Nations to support national efforts towards finding a solution.”
Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of the state, had earlier claimed that there were no casualties in the attack.
He, however, later confirmed the death of one person at Reddington Hospital.
The governor also denied any involvement of the state in the incident, blaming it on “forces beyond his direct control”.
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The United Kingdom parliament has also said it will consider a petition asking the country to sanction the federal government for human rights abuses over the #EndSARS campaign.
As of Wednesday morning, the petition has garnered over 133,000 signatures — less than 24 hours after it was created.
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