A report by the US Department of State says various reports by local and international bodies on the shooting of #EndSARS protesters at Lekki tollgate on October 20, 2020, could not be verified.
According to the report released on Tuesday, March 30, the United States government stated that accurate information on fatalities resulting from the shooting was not available at the end of the year.
Amnesty International had reported 10 people died during the event, however, the federal government disputed the report, and no other organization was able to back up the claim.
The agency issued a statement alleging that the Nigerian authorities resorted to intimidating demonstrators and covering up the incident, instead of ensuring justice for those killed.
Read Also: #LekkiMassacre: Sanwo-Olu Visits Gunshot Victims (Photos)
The report reads in part:
“At times authorities sought to investigate, and when found culpable, held police, military, or other security force personnel accountable for the use of excessive or deadly force or for the deaths of persons in custody, but impunity in such cases remained a significant problem.
State and federal panels of inquiry investigating suspicious deaths did not always make their findings public.
The government reported two deaths connected to the event. One body from the toll gate showed signs of blunt force trauma. A second body from another location in Lagos State had bullet wounds.
Read Also: #EndSARS: Killings Of Protesters ‘Unverified’ – US Report
At year’s end the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry and Restitution continued to hear testimony and investigate the shooting at Lekki Toll Gate.”
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