The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has reaffirmed his claim that the reported massacre at the toll gate remains the first massacre in the world without blood or bodies.
Lai Mohammed stated that one year after the alleged shooting at Lekki tollgate by soldiers, there has been no bodies, no families, no convincing evidence to show that any protester died despite ample opportunities given to families of those allegedly killed and those alleging a massacre occurred.
The Minister who made this known during a press conference on the first anniversary of EndSARS on Wednesday said the Federal Government was yet to get any evidence for the alleged killing.
Despite claims by Amnesty International that no fewer than 12 protesters were killed in Lagos State by security operatives during the EndSARS protest, the Minister described the claim as a “phantom”.
He noted that “The champions of a massacre at the Lekki Toll Gate, including Amnesty International and CNN, have continued to shamelessly hold on to their unproven stand.
“Recall, gentlemen, that after bandying different figures, Amnesty International finally settled at about 12 people killed. On its part, CNN went from 38 people killed to two to just one, after a supposed global exclusive even when the network had no reporter on ground at the Lekki Toll Gate on October 20th 2020.”
The Minister also claimed that soldiers did not shoot at protesters at the Lekki tollgate on October 20, 2020 as alleged.
Lai Mohammed said, “On Oct. 20th (2020), members of the security forces enforced curfew by FIRING SHOTS INTO THE AIR (emphasis mine) to disperse protesters, who had gathered at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos to protest abusive practices by the Nigeria Police Force Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
“Accurate information on fatalities resulting from the shooting was not available at year’s end. Amnesty International reported 10 persons died during the event, but the government disputed Amnesty’s Report, and NO OTHER ORGANIZATION WAS ABLE TO VERIFY THE CLAIM (emphasis mine).”
“With the preponderance of evidence against any massacre at the Lekki Toll Gate on October 20th 2020, we are once again reiterating what we said one year ago, that: “The military did not shoot at protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate on October 20th 2020, and there was no massacre at the toll gate. The only ‘massacre’ recorded was in the social media, hence there were neither bodies nor blood.”
