President of Ghana and Chairman of Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has called on the Nigerian Authorities and persons protesting against police brutalities to ceasefire and dialogue to resolve the unrest in the African most populated country.
In a post on social media, the Chairman of ECOWAS stated that the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Mohammadu Buhari has shown commitment, through interactions he has had with him, to address the grievances of the protesters through dialogue and has begun processes that will lead to security reforms in Nigeria.
“I join all well-meaning persons in calling for calm, and the use of dialogue in resolving the #EndSARS impasse in Nigeria. I have spoken with President Buhari, who is committed to this end, and has begun the processes that will lead to reform,” he said in the post.
While calling for calm and the use of dialogue to resolve the unrest, President Akufo-Addo condemned the alleged use of brutal force on civilians which has led to several deaths and many injuries.
According to the president, “violence, be it on the part of the Police or protesters, cannot be the solution.”
He also extended his condolences to families who have lost relatives through the incident while wishing those who sustained injuries speedy recovery.
“To the families who have lost their loved ones, I express my sincere condolences, and I wish the injured a speedy recovery,” he stated.
President Akufo-Addo’s reaction comes at the back of intense public pressure on him to speak on the unrest in Nigeria which escalated on Tuesday, October 20, 2020.
Protests in Nigeria against police brutalities which have continued for two weeks now turned bloody on Tuesday when armed security officials reportedly opened fire on protesters killing at least 12 people and injuring several others in a wealthy suburb of Lagos, Lekki.
The alleged shootings happened hours after the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu announced a 24-curfew in the state.
Eyewitnesses said that armed security operatives shot live bullets at them after the lights and CCTV cameras at the Lekki Toll gate was switched.
Live video footages circulated on social media captured sounds of gunshots, dead bodies and persons who sustained injuries from the alleged shootings.
Amnesty International Nigeria stated in a post on social media that it had “received credible but disturbing evidence of excessive use of force occasioning deaths of protesters at Lekki toll gate in Lagos.”
The Nigeria Army has, however, denied the reported killings.
