The minority caucus in the House of Representatives has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to demand the resignation of the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, or effect his sack.
The caucus made the call in reaction to comments earlier made by Mohammed on the massacre of #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate on October 20, 2020, before the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Restitution for Victims of SARS Related Abuses and Other Matters released its report.
Africa Today News, New York reports that the demand was made in a statement issued on Thursday by the Minority Leader of the House, Ndudi Elumelu, titled ‘Lagos EndSARS Report: FG Officials Have Questions to Answer – Reps Minority Caucus.’
The statement partly read, ‘The Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives, after a thorough review of the report of the Lagos State EndSARS judicial panel, holds that the attempt by officials of the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government to cover up the now confirmed bloody massacre of Nigerian youths by security forces at the Lekki Tollgate suggests a high-level state-backed conspiracy against Nigerians.
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‘The confirmation by the Lagos panel that there was indeed a massacre at the Lekki Tollgate during the 2020 EndSARS protests in Lagos and that APC government-controlled security forces carted away bodies and mopped up evidence, places a huge burden on the Federal Government which had vehemently denied any killings.
‘The minority caucus is, therefore, apprehensive as to what furtive motive must have made the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who ought to know the truth, to rush to the media ahead of the judicial panel, to insist that there were no killings at Lekki Tollgate, even in the face of testimonies of witnesses at the sad event.
‘Whereas the proclivity of the APC-led administration to lie to Nigerians on issues is legendry and known to all, our caucus is however shocked that the administration can lie in a matter that has to do with the gruesome killing of citizens, particularly our youths and even attempt to provide official cover to the culprits.’
The opposition lawmakers said as representatives of the people, the caucus holds that killing of young ones for having the audacity to demand justice, rule of law and good governance in the nation is ‘the height of wickedness, which will continue to haunt the APC and its administration until justice is served.’
According to the caucus, the report of the Lagos panel shows that ‘no matter how lies and falsehood try to prevail, the truth will always triumph at the end.’
The lawmakers state that ‘the blood of the innocent slain at Lekki Tollgate cry out for justice and there will be no rest for their killers and those who give support or cover to the murderous act.’
The statement further read, ‘The Minority caucus, therefore, calls on the APC-led administration to come clean on the killings as well as the furtive moves to cover up the vicious act. Also, given the findings of the Lagos panel, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed is expected to resign immediately or be fired by President Muhammadu Buhari.
‘Our caucus commends the Lagos panel for its boldness in the pursuit of truth and justice and urges other panels investigating allegations of brutality in other states not to be deterred but ensure that the truth is not suppressed.
‘While commiserating with the victims of the Lekki Tollgate attack, particularly the families of those killed, the Minority caucus urges Nigerians to remain calm at this crucial moment, as we will leave no stone unturned in using our legislative instruments to join forces with other well-meaning Nigerians to get justice for our people.’
Africa Today News, New York recalls that last month Lai Mohammed had claimed that there is no evidence to show that any protester was killed at the Lekki tollgate on October 20, 2020.
AFRICA TODAY NEWS, NEW YORK