Martin Cole –
A report from the US Department of State’s 2020 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices published a report stating that there was no accurate evidence to support claims that 10 people were killed by Nigerian soldiers at the Lekki Tollgate incident in October 2020.
The controversial report appears to contradicts serious claims by international media outlets , including Amnesty International and Cable News Network (CNN) ,that Nigerian soldiers had fired live rounds at protesters, and killed numerous civilians during the Lekki tollgate incident.
However, the report did not state that either CNN or Amnesty International’s investigation was wrong, instead it said the figures were uncorroborated.
The report did nit address the live rounds discovered by CNN on the scene.
Amnesty’s report claimed 10 people had been killed by the shooting , and CNN conducted an investigation, in which the broadcasters revealed rounds of bullets arising from shootings. had claimed that a number of civilians were killed at the scene.
The Nigerian army denied these claims, stating that its soldiers only fired blank bullets, and not live bullets into the crowd of protesters.
The U.S. Department of States said this in its 45th annual human rights report.
The report said “accurate information on the fatalities” from the shooting remain fuzzy because apart from “Amnesty International which reported 10 persons died during the event, no other organization was able to verify the claim.”
“One body from the toll gate showed signs of blunt force trauma. A second body from another location in Lagos State had bullet wounds. The government acknowledged that soldiers armed with live ammunition were present at the Lekki Toll Gate. 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,” the report noted.
Human Rights Standing
The U.S. report, now in its 45th edition, examines the human rights standing of 198 countries with a focus on seven sections, including press freedom, corruption and tra
The U.S government’s report supporting the Nigerian government’s version of events, is an astonishing development in the saga, splitting the broadcasters and Amnesty International, and the Nigerian government and many of its supporters.
Footage
CNN viewed numerous footage of the investigation , and also spoke to a number of people on the ground to hear their stories. CNN presented impressive video footage showing various points of shooting, with civilians shouting ”they are shooting, they are shooting”. They also featured a live recording by DJ, and found bullets with ammunition currently in use by the Nigerian army.
CNN said they contacted over 100 protesters and their families, in obtaining their facts.
The conclusion by the U.S Department of State favours the defence of the Nigerian government, who had all the time claimed the report by CNN was not accurate.
The report has been celebrated by the Nigerian government and patriots of the country as a victory, against those perceived as trying to tarnish the image of the country.
Some say that in a country where wounded bodies dashed away can be confused for dead bodies. How about the testimonies of citizens obtained by CNN? A question here is whether their identities were not only documented, but also submitted to the U.S Department of State, or demanded by them when formulating their report.
The one problem with the report lies in the absence of much engagement with the various footage broadcasted by CNN and the research the broadcaster says it conducted.
Amnesty international rejected the claims, stating that the U.S government did not properly examine the facts. Amnesty International are disappointed with the outcome, but told The Eye Of Media.Com that ”the report also stated that the Nigerian government did not investigate Amnesty’s findings”
The report has sparked controversy between sections of the Nigeran media and The Nigerian government , and other parties like CNN and Amnesty International , seeing as the latter led the campaign to highlight the killings. CNN’s report was disturbing because it was compelling, but the U.S report may now raise further questions as to whether the information in relation to the killings published by CNN and Amnesty International was accurate,..
A representative from the Nigerian Vanguard publication told The Eye Of Media.Com :” the numbers given by CNN and Amnesty International was questionable because there wasn’t enough evidence to support the numbers of the dead they gave. Special media were sometimes spreading rumours, and numbers given were at best not really reliable.
” Any inconsistencies in the account of solders doesn’t necessarily make it accurate. Some mean no atrocities were committed, but that’s what an investigative panel should decide”
Other media sources in Nigeria, like the PREMIUM TIMES, claim authorities tried to cover their tracks. The paper claims its reporters witnessed people dumping bodies in gutters, to evade detection. The paper has all along called for a full panel led inquiry to get to the bottom of the all the facts surrounding the shootings.
Lekki protesters on day of Lekki shooting Image: PREMIUM TIMES
Criticism
Global rights body Amnesty International on Thursday criticised the report the care taken in investigating the report.
Their spokesperson said: The United States “could have taken more time to evaluate” all available evidence before publishing its controversial report that appeared to downplay the role of Nigeria’s brutal military in using lethal force to quell the historic #EndSARS demonstration last October.
The U.S., in its ‘2020 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Nigeria’, ’ concluded that Amnesty International’s report on the shooting at Lekki Toll Gate, Lagos, where soldiers reportedly opened live rounds on protesters, was uncorroborated.
This statement contradicted the findings of the Human Rights group’s position that at least 10 civilians were shot dead by Nigerian troops deployed against protesters in the upscale Lagos neighbourhood on October 20, 2020.
The U.S. report also stated that soldiers were only sent to the protest ground to enforce a curfew, and they shot into the air. It appeared to contradict widespread reports, including a live stream of the attack on Instagram, of how soldiers opened live rounds and left a trail of deaths and injuries.
Some protesters told CNN they had been shot and that live rounds were shot at the crowd.
But critics of the claim say there is no evidence to confirm the number of people who may have died from the shooting.
Other media sources were believed there were live rounds shot, but had issues the accuracy of the number of the dead provided by CNN’s and Amnesty’s report..
Unavailable Accurate Report
In relation to the accuracy of the findings of CNN and Amnesty International, the report read:
“On October 20, members of the security forces enforced curfew by firing shots into the air to disperse protesters, who had gathered at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos to protest abusive practices by the Nigerian Police Force’s Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS),” the U.S. report said.
“Accurate information on fatalities resulting from the shooting was not available at year’s end. Amnesty International reported 10 persons died during the event, but the government disputed Amnesty’s report, and no other organisation was able to verify the claim.”
Live Rounds Versus Blank Bullets
Following the Lekki incident, the Nigerian Army had been accused of opening fire with live rounds on unarmed protesters who had gathered at the Lekki toll gate, killings several protesters.
The Nigerian army denied these claims, stating that soldiers only fired blank bullets, and not live bullets into the crowd of protesters. However, contrary testimonies from the Nigerian Army that it had fired only blank bullets, appeared to be disproven by a CNN report last year, which showed footage of live round ammunition being released into the public.
The US government’s report also acknowledged the formation of the Judicial Panels to investigate cases and complaints of SARS and police brutality.
Following the #EndSars protests, the National Economic Council chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo had recommended the establishment of state-based judicial panels of inquiry to also ensure justice for victims and families affected.
Over 30 States including the FCT set up such panels and some redress already being put in places.
The report gave a background to the Lekki incident, but stated categorically that “no other organization was able to verify the claim” that some persons had died during the incident.
The report read, “On October 20, members of the security forces enforced curfew by firing shots into the air to disperse protesters, who had gathered at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos to protest abusive practices by the Nigerian Police Force’s Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
Accurate information on fatalities resulting from the shooting was not available at year’s end. “Amnesty International reported 10 persons died during the event, but the government disputed Amnesty’s report, and no other organization was able to verify the claim.
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. The government acknowledged that soldiers armed with live ammunition were present at the Lekki Toll Gate.
The Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry and Restitution continued to hear testimony and investigate the shooting at Lekki Tollgate.”
The US report added that, “demonstrations were largely peaceful, but some protests turned violent after criminal elements infiltrated the protests and security forces fired at protesters at the Lekki Tollgate on October 20.”
The U.S Department’s report means they did not find evidence to corroborate the claims of CNN and Amnesty International, but did not but did not say how far their investigations went in comparison to both CNN and Amnesty International.
It has left the Nigerian public to make what it would of the report, with some of the country’s citizens also questioning how accurate the figures actually are.