Afenifere blasts Buhari for silence over Tuesday’s killings

Afenifere blasts Buhari for silence over Tuesday’s killings October 23, 2020 | EASTERN PILOT By Dapo Akinrefon. Pan-Yoruba socio-political...

Afenifere blasts Buhari for silence over Tuesday’s killings

October 23, 2020 | EASTERN PILOT

By Dapo Akinrefon.

Pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, yesterday, lampooned President Muhammadu Buhari for keeping mute over the Lekki toll gate killings and failing to visit the scene or commiserate with those who lost dear ones.

Afenifere, in a statement by its leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, described the President’s silence as pathetic, and demanded the arrest and trial of all security personnel involved in the incident.

The statement read: “Afenifere is in deep mourning over the Tuesday mindless massacre of peaceful innocent protesters in Lekki by bloodsucking Nigerian soldiers. The space where Muslims prayed on Friday and Christians on Sunday was turned to a bloody ground when the Nigerian state showed its bestiality. We mourn all the dead and commiserate with their families.

“We once again identify with the young ones in their just demands for a better society.

“Mr Babajide Sanwo-0lu, the Governor of Lagos, has denied inviting soldiers to Lagos, we need to know who deployed those killers through an international inquiry.

Meanwhile, the Centre For Peace And Conflict Resolution, CPCR, yesterday, called on the Federal Government to probe Tuesday’s attack on peaceful protesters at Lekki toll gate just as it absolved Nigerian Army of any involvement in the shooting.

Condemning the dastardly act, CPCR described the incident as “a mob attack, clouded in political meandering, skewed to a game of wits by political rivals trying to outsmart one another, clinging on current unrest.”

The group stated that the Nigerian Army personnel, drafted to maintain law and order among the protesting youths, couldn’t have resorted to such unbridled action on armless citizens in view of their background training.

“The Army, being a disciplined force, couldn’t have degenerated to such barbarism few days after President Muhammadu Buhari, justified the staging of peaceful protests to press home their agitations,’’ Spokesperson of CPCR, Austin Alu, stated.

Also, condemning the issue, Lagos-based socio-political activist and critic, Chief Adesunbo Onitiri, yesterday, described those responsible for the attacks as sadists that should be exposed to the public.

The social critic asked President Buhari to fish out whoever ordered soldiers to disperse unarmed youths on peaceful protests with life bullets.