Amnesty Int’l Threatens Sanction Against Lagos Govt On Mass Burial Of EndSARS Victims

By Sola Omoniyi, Lagos

Following the leaked memo of 2020 EndSARS protest victims, allegedly killed by Federal Government, in collaboration with Lagos State government led by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Amnesty International Nigeria has requested a clear identify of 103 slain ENDSARS protesters, whom the state government is planning a mass burial.

Amnesty International Nigeria stated that the planned mass burial by the Lagos State Government which will cost over N60 million should be put on hold till further notice.

Recall, a leaked memo surfaced on social media, which was addressed to the Lagos State Ministry of Health, stating that the State Government affirmed N61, 285,000 for the mass burial of 103 individuals identified as 2020 EndSARS victims.

According to a photograph obtained by Congress News correspondent, the memo was dated July 19, 2023, analysing the processing of funds after approval by the Governor.

However, in response to the memo, the Lagos State Government maintained that the victims to be buried were not from Lekki Tollgate EndSARS shootings.

Following the statement by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Olusegun Ogboye, insisted that the victims were from aftermath of the EndSARS protest, the Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, Isa Sanusi, said the Nigerian authorities must halt their plans to carry out a secret mass burial of EndSARS victims.

Sanusi maintained that a thorough investigation should be carried out into the killings of innocent EndSARS protesters asking for good governance and stoping of police brutality.

He added that the authorities must carried out transparent autopsies on the 103 slain ENDSARS protesters and published their names and circumstances of their demise.