Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka has reacted to Lekki shootings where several unarmed protesters were gruesomely murdered.
Wole Soyinka in a statement likened the present democratic administration to dictatorial Abacha regime who had no value for human lives.
General Sani Abacha’s military regime was characterized by tyranny, oppression and unlawful killings of many Nigerians.
Soyinka further disclosed it was worrisome that Governor Sanwo-olu who may not have authorized the use of gunfire on his people, did not raise an alarm on breakdown of law and order in Lagos state.
In the statement, the 1986 Nobel Laureate claimed Nigerian Army has replaced Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) infamously known for extortion and extra-judicial killings of Nigerian citizens.
Read full statement;
“It is absolutely essential to let this government know that the Army has now replaced SARS in the demonic album of the protesters.
“My enquiry so far indicates that the Lagos governor did not invite in the Army, did not complain of a ‘breakdown in law and order’. Nevertheless, the Centre has chosen to act in an authoritarian manner and has inflicted a near incurable wound on the community psyche.
“Need I add that, on arrival in Abeokuta, my home town, I again had to negotiate a roadblock? That went smoothly enough. I expected it, and have no doubt that more are being erected as this is being written.
“COVID-19 has battered the Nigerian economy – such as it is – for over eight months. Of course, it is not easy to bring down COVID under a hail of bullets – human lives are easier target, and there are even trophies to flaunt as evidence of victory – such as the blood-soaked Nigerian flag that one of the victims was waving at the time of his murder.
“It was in stark contrast to the inclusivity of the protesting ‘family of common cause’ of earlier days.
“All inherent beauty of instant bonding and solidarity evaporated. At the block just before the Lagos Secretariat, the protesters proved the most recalcitrant. In the end, they exacted from me just the one offering to the rites of passage – I could sense it coming — I had to come down from the car and addressed them. I did.
“Little did they know what was churning in my mind: This is not real. This is Back to Abacha – in grotesque replay.
“Convoke Town Hall meetings as a matter of urgency. 24-hr Curfews are not the solution. Take over the security of your people with whatever resources you can rummage. Substitute community self-policing based on Local Councils, to curb hooligan infiltration and extortionist and destructive opportunism.
“We commiserate with the bereaved and urge state governments to compensate material losses, wherever. To commence any process of healing at all – dare one assume that this is the ultimate destination of desire? — the Army must apologize, not merely to the nation but to the global community – the facts are indisputable – you, the military, opened fire on unarmed civilians.
“There has to be structured restitution and assurance that such aberrations will not again be recorded.
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“Then both governance and its security arms can commence a meaningful, lamentably overdue dialogue with society. Do not attempt to dictate — Dialogue.”