Nigerian officials have been accused of failing to ensure justice for the killing of #EndSARS protesters in 2020, six months after a judicial panel implicated security forces.
Human Rights Watch has tasked the government to act on the panel’s recommendations and hold those responsible to account.
“The report of the judicial panel of inquiry should not be swept under the rug without any consequences for those responsible for killing and injuring protesters,” HRW said.
In a statement, the international campaigning group said failure to act on the panel’s recommendations will send a painful message to victims and risk encouraging more violence by security officers.
Hundreds of young people took to the streets of big cities in Nigeria in October 2020 to call for the disbandment of the police unit known as the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), under the banner of a movement known as #EndSARS.
Security forces were accused of responding with excessive force to the movement’s actions, the response including use of gunfire.
Lekki violence
One of the worst crackdowns was at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos where army and police officers reportedly opened deadly fire on a crowd of protesters.
A panel, set up by the Lagos State government in the wake of the protests, found in November last year that security forces had shot, injured and killed unarmed protesters.
It recommended disciplinary measures and the prosecution of the army and police officers implicated, as well as payment of compensation to the victims.
The report was disputed but the Lagos State government said it accepted all but one of the panel’s recommendations in full or in part and promised to act.
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