The non-governmental organisation noted that it had been monitoring developments across Nigeria since the #EndSARS protests began on October 8, 2020.

Amnesty International Nigeria has demanded a transparent coroner’s inquest on 103 slain EndSARS protesters for whom the Lagos State Government is planning a mass burial, saying the plans should be put on hold.

This follows the emergence of a leaked memo addressed to the Lagos State Ministry of Health indicating that the State Government approved N61,285,000 for the mass burial of 103 persons identified as 2020 EndSARS victims.

The memo, dated July 19, 2023, capturing steps for the processing of funds after approval by the governor, surfaced on social media Sunday morning, sparking outrage.

The Lagos State Government however maintained that the victims to be buried were not from the controversial Lekki Tollgate shooting. The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr Olusegun Ogboye, while confirming the letter, insisted that the victims were from incidents of violence that occurred in the aftermath of the EndSARS protests.

Responding, the Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, Isa Sanusi, in a statement on Monday, said, “The Nigerian authorities must urgently halt their plans to carry out a secret mass burial of #EndSARS victims and instead carry out a thorough and independent investigation into the killings and ensure that those suspected to be responsible are brought to justice in fair trials.”

The human rights group added that the authorities must also carry out transparent coroner inquests and autopsies on the 103 #EndSARS victims and publish their identities and the circumstances of their deaths.

“It is appalling that the Lagos state government has not even mentioned that it has held the bodies of 103 #EndSARS victims in its custody since October 2020,” Sanusi said.

“All those detained because of their role in the #EndSARS protests must be immediately released. The Nigerian authorities must also ensure that victims and their families are provided with access to justice and effective remedies, including adequate compensation.” The non-governmental organisation noted that it had been monitoring developments across Nigeria since the #EndSARS protests began on October 8, 2020.

“In October 2020, an on-the-ground investigation by Amnesty International confirmed that Nigerian security forces opened fire on thousands of peaceful protesters, who were peacefully calling for good governance and an end to police brutality, killing at least 12 protesters at Lekki toll gate and in Alausa,” director Sanusi said.

“Amnesty International was able to establish that pro-government supporters instigated violence at many of the demonstrations, providing cover for the police to use lethal force against peaceful protesters.

“On 16 November 2020, a Judicial Panel of Inquiry set up to investigate the Lekki toll gate killings submitted its report, which indicted the military and the police for killing unarmed protesters, who were sitting on the floor and waving Nigerian flags and singing.”

“Amnesty International was able to establish that pro-government supporters instigated violence at many of the demonstrations, providing cover for the police to use lethal force against peaceful protesters.

“On 16 November 2020, a Judicial Panel of Inquiry set up to investigate the Lekki toll gate killings submitted its report, which indicted the military and the police for killing unarmed protesters, who were sitting on the floor and waving Nigerian flags and singing.”

“In October 2020, an on-the-ground investigation by Amnesty International confirmed that Nigerian security forces opened fire on thousands of peaceful protesters, who were peacefully calling for good governance and an end to police brutality, killing at least 12 protesters at Lekki toll gate and in Alausa,” director Sanusi said.

“It is appalling that the Lagos state government has not even mentioned that it has held the bodies of 103 #EndSARS victims in its custody since October 2020,” Sanusi said.

TemplarLandry:
This Amnesty International lacks moral standing to criticize or question the Nigerian Government.

Zupay:

Don't worry, no one would have the moral standing to criticize or question those who ought to provide answers, when my own corpse will be hidden for 3 years and tagged unclaimed and ends up in a mass grave... don't take it personal as I am mirroring myself.

FreeStuffsNG:
Smh. He just woke up. For almost 3 years, the state has advertised and announced severally and even set up a committee for members of the society to come forward and identify or report to them a missing relative, no one came forward for any of these bodies.

The state went further to spend millions to preserve these bodies while waiting for the families, particularly those alleged to be killed at lekkilies, still nobody came forward.

Should LASG continue to keep the bodies for ever or should we forever believe the lie that anyone killed will not have families, friends, neighbours, pastors, imams etc.

If Amnesty International Nigeria is serious, it should not have kept quiet but helped the government publicize the long drawn public announcement to members of the public.

I will support Amnesty if it will offer to bear the cost of the extra days the LASG will be keeping these bodies. It is not enough for them to talk, talk is cheap. What will amnesty undertake to ensure that the families are found and tax payers in Lagos does not continue to bear the brunt and cost of keeping these bodies for ever. They are in govt mortuaries at a cost borne by the govt for almost 3 years now, what does amnesty want to do to help Lagos?

BoldBrainz:


You don't have to peddle blatant falsehood in your bid to defend your interests.

Show us when and where the Lagos State government reeled out public announcements to the masses about the existence of dead bodies in its care. Just one instance should suffice.

RuggedBiafran:
Wait for your BAN.

The moniker you replied is a sinister patron of the Propaganda cartel of APC. He now accepts that people died and they refused to come and claim the corpses of those that died?..You see the way they lie without conviction?

God is not mocked. There is a reason, why calamities upon calamities are befalling the APC government.

The dead will forever cry in the household of those that called for the killing and their brainlessly foolish supporters, that said nobody died initially and are now claiming nobody camenl to claim the corpses.

God is truly on the throne.

BoldBrainz:


It's disheartening when humans abandon moral decency and empathy for other humans just for pecuniary gains.

I will not defend falsehood even on my father's behalf. Yet people easily lie simply because of affiliations to political parties.

Shit is disgusting!

Christistruth03:
But Amnesty forgot to demand for the identities of the Asuzu Sars Massacre victims
Nei

Neither does Amnesty have any problem with the Ipob Massacres in the SE

Those murdered today, Amnesty is pretending to be unaware of

Racoon:
Mass Burial: Amnesty International Demands Coroner’s Inquest, Identities Of 103 ENDSARS Victims

https://www.channelstv.com/2023/07/24/mass-burial-amnesty-international-demands-coroner-inquest-identities-of-103-endsars-victims/

obi4eze:


Why is APC so bedevilled with evil and wickedness? Why is it that people in APC have a heart of stone and are wickedly wicked?

Sanwo Olu is so wicked that he denied that anybody died at the Lekki toll gate. Any way, the blood of the innocent people will keep crying against them.