The African Union (AU) has rejected the use of violence on peaceful protesters and called for the respect of human rights and the rule of law, after protesters who peacefully assembled at the Lekki Toll Plaza were allegedly shot at by the Nigerian Army on Tuesday, October 20, 2020.
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The statement from the Commission’s Chairman, Moussa Faki Mahamat, dated Wednesday, October 21, 2020, was posted on the organization’s website.
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In the statement, Mahamat offered his condolences to the families of those killed and appealed to “all political and social actors to reject the use of violence and respect human rights and the rule of law”
He urged for a timely and robust dialogue in order to de-escalate the situation and find concrete and durable reforms.
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According to him, “In this regard, the Chairperson welcomes the decision by the FGN to disband the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, as an important step in this direction.”
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Mahamat reiterated the AU’s commitment to helping Nigeria’s government and people find a solution and encouraged the Nigerian authorities to conduct a full-scale and thorough investigation, to ensure the perpetrators of these heinous acts of violence are held accountable.
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