As more Muslim organisations continue to speak on the ongoing #EndSARS protests, Lekki Muslim Ummah (LEMU) has called on the Federal government to immediately fish out the perpetrators of the reported shooting at protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate protest ground and bring them to book.
The ongoing #ENDSARS protest by youths across the country took a disturbing turn on Tuesday October 20, 2020, when some gunmen thought to be soldiers allegedly killed some unarmed protesters and injured many others at the Lekki area of Lagos State.
Although the Nigerian army has denied deploying soldiers to attack the protesters, LEMU condemned what it described as “dastardly and seemingly premeditated murder of the protesting youths”, whose agitations for good governance and a better Nigeria are obviously justifiable.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the President of the Lekki Muslim community, Dr. Kamoru Omotosho revealed that the mere breach of the curfew imposed by Governor Babajide Sanwo-olu on Lagos State by the peaceful protesters was a minor misdemeanor which did not warrant the use of the brutish force applied on them by the soldiers.
He said, “In civilized climes, when dispersing harmless protesters with force becomes inevitable, less-pernicious tools like water cannons, teargases, and rubber bullets are used, not live bullets like our soldiers did.
“As parents, we are greatly pained by the cold-blooded murder of our youths by soldiers. We commiserate with the families that lost their loved ones in the incident and pray Almighty Allah to console them.
“Government must immediately fish out the perpetrators of the dastardly act and bring them to book,” he added.
Dr Omotosho called on the protesting youths to
eschew violence and play safe by leaving the streets for now, adding that, “They must imbibe the aphorism: ‘he who fights and runs away, lives to fight another day’.”
According to him, Hoodlums have apparently hijacked the protests in certain areas, perpetrating arson and other brutalities which genuine protesters are incidentally campaigning against. Please go home and let’s give peace a chance.”
LEMU also strongly affirmed that President Muhammadu Buhari should provide leadership by engaging the protesting youths through constant communication and issuance of
feasible executive orders to assuage them and attract them to the negotiation table.
He said, “Perhaps, if he had done that, the situation might not have degenerated this far. The president must rise up to the occasion and speak to the issues being raised by the protesting youths, so that peace would reign in our land.
“In checking the nefarious escapades of hoodlums, the government must also warn security agencies against harming harmless
protesters.
“All parties to this crisis must exercise restraint and give peace a chance, so that our nation is not plunged into irredeemable anarchy.
“Once again, we urge our vibrant youths to go home for now. May Almighty Allah rectify our affairs,” he added.
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