The minority caucus in the House of Representatives on Wednesday condemned the alleged killing of peaceful and unarmed protesters by suspected security operatives at Lekki Toll Gate, Lagos, on Tuesday.
The lawmakers expressed their displeasure in Abuja in a statement signed by the Minority Leader of the House, Rep. Ndudi Elumelu (PDP-Delta).
Elumelu stated that the alleged extra-judicial killing of defenceless citizens by suspected agents of state could not be justified or condoned under any guise.
He called on President Muhammadu Buhari to order an investigation into the allegation and bring the officers to justice if found guilty.
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“As lawmakers and representatives of the people, we cannot accept this gruesome execution of our young ones in their own country by security operatives.
“Life is sacred and no one has the right to terminate the life of another just because he has the apparatus of state power.
“Such brazen brutally and defilement of right to life, which is at the centre of the on-going protests across the nation, underscores the demand for an immediate and total overhaul of our nation’s security architecture.
“We, therefore, call on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately order the arrest and prosecution of officers involved in the Lekki killing as well as the withdrawal of soldiers from engaging protesters,” he stated.
Elumelu restated the caucus’s call on the president to urgently rejig the nation’s security architecture through extensive reforms and urgent replacing of Service Chiefs.
He added that there were other competent and professional officers and men that could assist in effectively handling of the security challenges confronting the nation.
The caucus commiserates with the families of victims of this heinous act and assured of immediate legislative actions that would ensure that justice is served.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army has denied reports claiming that soldiers shot at protesters at Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos, describing the reports as “fake news’’.
On its official Twitter handle, @HQNigerianArmy, the army urged the general public to “beware’’ of reports making the rounds alleging that soldiers opened fire on protesters in Lagos.
The army also described reports claiming that the Nigerian Police rejected the bodies of protesters brought by soldiers as “fake news’’.