Lekki Shooting: Senate Spokesman Slams Buhari Govt’s ‘Lackadaisical Attitude’ To #EndSARS Protests

The spokesperson of the Nigerian Senate, Senator Ajibola Basiru, has criticized the “lackadaisical attitude” of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to the shooting incident at the Lekki toll gate on Tuesday and the ensuing widespread violence in the state.

Basiru, who is a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), said the escalation of violence resulting from mishandling of the #EndSARS protests showed, “obvious descent of the country” under the Buhari administration.

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Basiru, who represents Osun central senatorial district, described the unleashing of soldiers on unarmed protesters at the Lekki toll gate as the height of “recklessness” by the government.

THE WHISTLER recalls that while the Nigerian Army had denied the presence of soldiers at the scene of the shooting on Tuesday night, the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, had confirmed that soldiers were deployed to the location to quell the protest.

Sanwo-Olu, in a state broadcast on Wednesday morning, had said the soldiers were deployed by “forces beyond our control”.

Senator Basiru recalled, however, that the Senate had on Tuesday called on President Buhari to address the nation to avoid the protests from degenerating, “not knowing that the evening of that day will bring about more sinister dimensions to the already deteriorated situation.”

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Senator Ajibola Basiru, spokesperson of the 9th Senate

The APC senator spoke in a statement signed by his media adviser, Remi Ibitola, and posted on his personal website.

The statement reads, “I have monitored with shock and personal indignation the turn out of events on the #EndSARS protest with evidence of obvious descent of the country, particularly in the Southwest of Nigeria, after the reckless and disturbing incident at Lekki toll gate yesterday evening.

“As a student who was involved in several protests, I see no reason for the display of outright recklessness by shooting into unarmed protesters by whoever, governmental or otherwise.

“As an elected representative of the people of Osun Central in the Senate, I deprecate the clear lackadaisical attitude of the Federal Executive to the lingering anarchy and destruction of lives and property. At the sitting of the Senate on Tuesday 20 October, 2020, it was resolved that the President should address the nation, not knowing that the evening of that day will bring about more sinister dimensions to the already deteriorated situation.

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“By section 14 of our Constitution security and welfare of the people is the paramount purpose of government.

“I hereby urge the President to live up to the Constitution and find a lasting, peaceful and human friendly solution to the crisis and also comply with the several resolutions of the National Assembly.

He added that, “I find it personally uncomfortable to keep silent anymore as an elected representative of the people whose youths are being killed and bruised.”

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