Femi Falana, a human rights lawyer, claimed that the Federal Government was responsible for the violence that followed the #EndSARS demonstration.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) revealed this on Tuesday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, saying that about 99 Nigerian youths were killed in Lagos, with several others in other states throughout the country.
He claimed that among other states, the Nigerian government had dispatched forces to massacre young people in Lagos, Oyo, and Benin.
“The violence that characterised the end of the #EndSARS protest was instigated, fuelled and sponsored by the government.”
“The government decided to unleash hoodlums and thugs on the young people. When that did not work, the government sent troops and soldiers to engage in the killing of young people,” he said.
“In one week, about 99 people were killed in Lagos. I don’t want to talk about Ogbomoso, Port Harcourt, Benin and other places where young people were shot at and killed.”
It should be noted that angry youths recently decided to launch a nationwide demonstration over hardship, poverty, and the high cost of living, among other economic woes.
The ‘EndBadGovernance’ protests is gathering steam on social media and is slated to take place in all states of the Federation, as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, in August.
The protest organisers have not been identified.
While President Bola Tinubu urged the organisers to put off the scheduled protest on Tuesday, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun warned that it could turn violent.
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However, Falana is requesting that the Federal Government identify the leaders of the planned protest and engage in dialogue with them rather than issuing threats.
“So, this time around the government should try to identify the leaders of the movement and then engage them, and then the questions be raised. There are demands that are being made, and the government should address these demands,” he said.
“Between now and the first of August is still a long way and I understand the government is going to address the nation. It is also important for governors to really come out and let the people know what they are doing to address hardship in the country which nobody is denying.”
