After the report, we decided to look at some of the conversations peddled by government officials and affiliates and compare them with our discovered truths.

Here’s what we found.

1. Sanwo-Olu Holmes claimed that nobody died during the shooting

2. On an interview, Tinubu questioned the motives of the victimised peaceful protesters

3. Buhari’s speech two days after the incident totally ignored the incident like it didn’t happen

4. Nigeria’s minister of information, Lai Mohammed, called the Lekki toll gate incident a 鈥渕assacre without bodies鈥�

5. On several occasions, Lai Mohammed also publicly said CNN was irresponsible in its reporting of the incident, and that the live videos were “doctored”

6. A year after the killings, Lai Mohammed called it a “phantom massacre”, denying the deaths of any civilians

7. The Nigerian Army also denied the killings of the End SARS protesters

There’s a PDF file containing the entire report. You can access it .

Now, early reports have emerged from the Lekki Toll Gate that personnel of the Nigerian Police Force have detained at least four peaceful protesters. In videos posted on Twitter, being forced into black vans at the site where the Lekki Toll Gate Massacre occurred one year ago.

Peaceful citizens who have gathered at the toll gate were also apparently fired by men of the police force, according to Pulse. Protesters are said to have fled towards Admiralty Way, with employees of the Lekki Concession Company .

Other videos have emerged showing the police manhandling a bystander who claims to be an Uber driver.

In Abuja, soldiers and policemen have been reported to be in a marking the one year memorial of the Lekki Toll Gate massacre, according to videos from Sahara reporters.

In the meantime, citizens have set up helplines to assist in case of medical emergencies or detention by the security operatives.

Oct 20, 2021 marks a year since soldiers from the Bonny Camp and policemen arrived at the tollgate and opened fire on peaceful protesters, witnessed by thousands via Instagram live streams. The Nigerian government went on to deny that anyone was killed at the Toll Gate or anywhere else, despite video evidence showing otherwise.

Over the past few months, the entire globe witnessed the #EndSARS protests both on the streets of various cities in Nigeria as well as online. During the protests, we saw and heard of the unwarranted killings of protesters and passersby in various cities by police officers and army officials during a protest against police brutality. To make things worse, we witnessed the horrific Lekki Massacre live-streamed on our phones, and also in person. International media, international Human Rights agencies, eyewitnesses, survivors, and a select few local media outlets extensively covered the events of the 20th of October, 2020, and there are no doubts as to what happened that evening.

 In the presence of overwhelming evidence, the authority figures made and are still making conscious efforts to suppress the truth and distort the facts. This has taken various forms, from attempting to 鈥渞egulate鈥� social media under the guise of 鈥淔ake News鈥�, to targeting identifiable protesters; denying some travel, baselessly arresting and unlawfully detaining some, and tactlessly freezing the accounts of others. 

In the face of such tactless and deliberate denial of the truth, we have only one duty; to keep re-stating the facts through every medium available to us, as an act of resistance to injustice. Music has always been a vital tool in important moments,, and it remains so now. Here are a few songs currently documenting the recent events and, continuing the activism in the face of oppression:

20.10 20 by Burna Boy

 鈥�20th of October 2020, you carry army go kill many youths for Lekki鈥�

Burna Boy makes a simple but necessary statement summarily reiterating the events that occurred on the evening of October 20th, 2020. That line more than any other is very important when you consider that following the massacre at the Lekki Toll Gate on that fateful day, the Lagos state government, and the army embarked on a campaign to refute the claims. , Thankfully, such denial has been continuously contradicted by the denying parties. The line remains a perfect reminder to the consciousness of every listener of what happened, especially when the authority figures continuously make efforts to gaslight citizens into doubting their own sanity as to what really occurred thatnight. Lastly, the inclusion of the recordings of that night鈥檚 shootings at the end of the song assists in preventing the erasure of the horrific massacre which we all witnessed.

 Johnny by Falz

Originally released last year, Falz detailed the travails of the youth facing police brutality in 鈥淛ohnny鈥�. This year, following the #EndSARS protests, and the Lekki Massacre, Falz who has been very vocal and on the frontlines, takes it a notch further with a vivid video for 鈥淛ohnny鈥�, blending an accurate visual portrayal of police brutality in Nigeria with actual footage Nigerian police officers killing and brutalizing citizens with some footage being as recent as last month. This is very vital when you consider that the Inspector General of Police held out that officers of the Nigerian Police Force exercised restraint, and used reasonable force at all times.

Gangland by psiv

Gangland details the modus of the ruling class; the use of force to silence any form of opposition to their antics,deliberate and concerted acts of implicit and explicit violence to maintain the status quo of oppression, corruption, and censorship of anything that opposes their interests. 

The chorus lines, 鈥淵ou know the wave man, welcome to Gangland鈥�, and 鈥淚鈥檓 in the 234, that鈥檚 the mad land鈥� allude to the antics of the government in a country where anything goes. We have witnessed the blatant denial of the Lekki Massacre in the midst of overwhelming evidence, the attempts to 鈥渞egulate鈥� social media in order to censor free speech, the undue freezing of bank accounts of identifiable protesters, and most recently, the targeting of identifiable protesters and undue arrest and unlawful detention of such persons, amongst so many other examples. Gangland is a reminder that we know all that is going on, and we see it clearly.

Barawo by Ajebo Hustlers

Barawo just like Gangland mirrors the modus of the ruling class and the displeasures of the masses. As Ajebo Hustlers figuratively put it 鈥淎ngry mob, dem kill Barawo鈥�. 鈥淏arawo鈥� which is slang meaning thieves, captures the corruption and oppression exhibited by the ruling class on the disadvantaged citizenry. Throughout the song, Ajebo Hustlers detail the cutthroat nature of the Nigerian society, capturing the mixed feelings of anger, hopelessness, and survival experienced by the average Nigerian citizen. Barawo is a brilliant reminder of the ills present in the Nigerian society, and this is particularly necessary at a time where those perpetrating those ills are using every means at their disposal to fight people speaking against injustice.

20.10.20 (Wahala Dey) by Chike

鈥�Dem dey kill us, soro soke鈥� wahala dey鈥� 

Chike reminds us that we need to keep speaking up. In 20.10.20 (Wahala Dey), Chike wholesomely captures the issues at hand; elected officials deliberately siding against the innocent citizenry, the deliberate attempts by authorities at suppressing the truth, and the need to keep speaking up and demanding answers. With a viral video displaying various highlights of the #EndSARS protests, as well as the addition of actor turned politician, Desmond Elliot鈥檚 disgraceful speech at the Lagos House of Assembly, Chike matches the right visuals with his lyrics, thereby evoking the right emotions in listeners.

20.10.20 听(Remember this) by SoulBlackSheep

鈥淩emember this, remember this鈥� youths dying on the streets鈥�

SoulBlackSheep reiterates the lines above in a heartfelt manner on his song 20.10.20 (Remember This). Very important words, we must not forget the events of the 20th of October, 2020. Incorporating the recordings of survivor narrations, 20.10.10 (Remember This) brilliantly documents the Lekki Massacre. The lines 鈥淪oldier please, I鈥檓 on my knees… I鈥檝e got no gun, not a threat to you鈥� explains the plight of the unarmed peaceful protesters that were massacred by the Nigerian Army at the Lekki Toll Gate on the 20th of October, 2020.

Honourable Mention

FEM by Davido

With a very simple message, Davido鈥檚 鈥淔em鈥� became an anthem at the protests. A simple, yet instructive one-liner, 鈥淔em鈥� was a clear message to the politicians who kept camouflaging as if they sided with the people; for example, the governors doing photo ops at protests, only to later deny the killings of peaceful protesters despite overwhelming evidence.

The author of this article, psiv, is a multi-genre Nigerian artiste using his music to make a difference.

The panel is led by Justice Doris Okuwobi, a retired Judge of Lagos State. The youth representatives on the panel are Rinu Oduala and Majekodunmi Temitope.

The panel was constituted by the Governor of Lagos State, Babjide Sanwo-Olu on October 19th 2020, when he invoked Section 1 of the Tribunals of Inquiry Law of Lagos State which gives the Lagos State governor the power to constitute a tribunal when necessary, to inquire into the affairs of any public officer in Lagos State.

Section 5 of the Tribunals of Inquiry Law of Lagos State also gives the Tribunal the power to conduct investigations into the proceedings.

The job of the panel

The panel , and it will draw conclusions from the statements of victims of police brutality in Lagos State, with the aim of determining and recommending compensation for victims and their dependents.

The tribunal is also mandated to interrogate SARS officers responsible for the abuse of victims and recommend their prosecution. 

The Lagos State Government also says it has established a 鈧�200 million fund for compensation to families and individuals who have been victimised by officers of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

Oath of secrecy

Earlier on in the day, there had been some controversy about an “oath of secrecy” that panel members had to swear to.

However, it seems the air has been cleared as lawyer, Mochievous, stated that the concerns were raised on the issue and the panelists will not be signing the document.

[donation]

Feminist Coalition provides aid for protesters.

We are scared young Nigerian women who are not a threat. We wanted to contribute towards Nigerians exercising their constitutional rights to protest by providing food, water, masks (for COVID 19), paying medical bills and supporting legal aid for arrested protesters. 

We do not plan protests; we simply donate to the needs of peaceful protest organisers so that they are safe. We have made it clear in our statements via and our social:

Unfortunately, their goodwill hasn’t been very well received.

In the past week, we鈥檝e had restrictions placed on our bank accounts, and many people who have donated to us or received donations from us have also complained of restrictions placed on their accounts by certain banks. This is what forced us to move to decentralised payment platforms and only accept donations in bitcoin using BTC Pay.

There have been threats to the safety of coalition members, FK Abudu, other Nigerian civilians as well as general concerns for the safety of peaceful protesters.

These threats have been due to misinformation and defamation of who we are and what we stand for by bad actors. 

We received donations towards the #EndSARS movement from unknown but well-meaning Nigerians and supporters of the movements both here and internationally. People have donated because they are all passionate about building a better Nigeria. What we asked for was an end to the killing of Nigerians at the hands of the police and that the government take real action and hear our cry as people of Nigeria.

Here is our statement on the killing of peaceful protesters in Lagos Nigeria on 20 October 2020.

For more information on the Feminist Coalition, you can check out their .

Let’s start here:

On the 20th of October, 2020, armed men of the Nigerian army allegedly shot at peaceful protesters in the recent #EndSars movement. It is estimated that at least twelve , and hundred more were injured around Nigeria.

In light of this unfortunate and avoidable incident, we decided to take a look at all the times Nigeria has killed innocent, peaceful protesters.

1) The Women’s Market Rebellion of 1929.

The Aba market of 1929 was a largely peaceful protest against the colonial government’s plan to tax women. Inspired by a woman called , and strengthened by the popular Oloko trio, [mostly] market women executed a strategic anti-colonial revolt. The aim was to address social, political and economic grievances. The women wanted more participation in government, removal of direct taxation of women, and better overall treatment.

The women employed methods like , or donning male traditional attires to express their displeasures. In some cases, this resulted in [some] destruction of properties. Especially properties of warrant chiefs who were the direct link to the colonial masters.

To restore normalcy, British officers were brought in. By the time order was restored, at least 50 [protesting] women were shot dead and 50 others were injured. As a result of the unfamiliar tactics [to the British] used by the women, and the casualties, an enquiry was called for. The name “Aba Women’s Riots of 1929” is how this enquiry was named in the British colonial records leading to the misinformation

2) The Iva Valley Massacre of 1949.

In 1949, striking miners demanding for better wages and living conditions in Enugu were shot dead by British police.

In the 1940s, Enugu had become Nigeria’s biggest coal producer and was called the coal capital of West Africa. Two major mines were responsible for this – Iva valley and Obwetti mine.

The life of a miner was dangerous. They worked 6 days a week underground with low oxygen, low morale, and low pay. To further worsen things, Europeans who worked on the surface and did lesser work were better off than the miners.

Increased resentment led the miners to a strike action which was rejected by the colonial officers. The miners were sacked and immediately asked to leave the premise after which they refused. British police were called to remove the striking, peaceful miners from the site.

Not to be intimidated by the police, the miners chanted songs of solidarity. The British officers led by Superintendent of Police, F.S Philips opened fire on them. He would go on to say that the miners were indulging in a war dance and looked menacing. 21 miners were killed on that day and were mostly shot in the back.

The protest increased agitations and united a large swathe of Nigerians for the first time, and this helped push our final claim for independence from colonial rule.

3) Occupy Nigeria Protest of 2012.

In the Occupy Nigeria protests against fuel subsidy removal, at least 12 people died. Two people were reportedly shot dead when the police fired into the crowd in an attempt to disperse peaceful protesters.

4) IPOB Protest of 2015/16.

The  (IPOB) supporters were allegedly shot at and killed by the Nigerian military between August 2015 and September of 2016. The group and its supporters were protesting for secession and restoration of theThe most notable incident was in December of 2015 where lost their lives.

6) Shiite Protest In 2019.

In July of 2019, the Nigerian police allegedly fired at peaceful protesters of the Shia Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) in the capital city of Abuja.

The protest was to demand urgent medical care for the detained leader of the Shiites, El Zakzaky, and to also request his release. Reportedly, eleven protesters, one journalist, and a police officer were killed. Additionally, scores ofwere either injured or arrested in the aftermath of the protests.

7) Lekki Massacre of 2020.

On the night of October 2020, peaceful and unarmed protesters were allegedly shot and killed at the Lekki toll gate by Nigerian soldiers. The protest was a social movement to call for an end to police brutality in Nigeria. A rogue unit [The Special Anti-robbery Squad] notorious for killing, harassing, and stealing from young Nigerians was the focus of the protests.

According to reports, in the evening, light was allegedly cut from the tollgate, and the CCTV cameras were removed. It is believed that the aim was to reduce video evidence of the .

In one of the clips that emerged from the site, protesters can be heard singing the Nigerian anthem and crying as they are shot at. We owe it to them to never forget the incident of 20/10/2020.

Notable mention is the of the late 1960s where farmers protesting against taxation were shot and killed by policemen.

We hope you’ve learned a thing or two about how to unfuck yourself when the Nigerian government moves mad. Check back every weekday for more 91大神 Citizen explainers.

Seyi Makinde addressing protesters in Ibadan

The Oyo State Governor took to the streets of Ibadan yesterday to address protesters and the general public and to tell them that peace would return to the state soon. Wo love to see it. We hope some other governors can take a cue.

Killings in Zamfara

Yesterday, news broke out about killings in Zamfara State, northern Nigeria. We haven’t gotten information about the people who were killed, but it’s circulating that they were killed by bandits as the state continues to suffer from insecurity.

Inmates are being freed in Warri

Today, it was reported that thugs burned down a police station in Warri, got into the prisons, and freed inmates.

End SARS protesters in Helsinki

If “Money Heist” was the first thing that came to your mind, you’re not alone. Nigerians in Finland’s capital state Helsinki have come out in their numbers to demonstrate and join voices with Nigerians to speak up against police brutality.

We’ll keep updating this article with new events happening outside Lagos and outside Nigeria.

Recently, there has been an increasing occurrence of social media accounts broadcasting and spreading fake news.

In one instance, a Twitter user posted a photo of , a prominent activist purportedly showing her relaxing in her living room with her husband while #EndSARS protesters are on the streets. The photo was actually of her 20th wedding anniversary in 2019.

In fact, Aisha Yesufu has been beaten and teargassed on the frontlines of the struggle. She even featured in this iconic photo.

Why though?

Think of it this way. Social media is full of genuine images of victims of the massacre in various parts of Lagos. Some fake accounts or bots start to mix in some fake images and stories. Later on, these images might be used to falsely claim that since some of the images are fake, we can鈥檛 believe all of them. Even worse, it might be used as an excuse to clamp down on social media. A cursory search will show that these images are old/fake. You might be wondering why anyone would deliberately spread fake news. Firstly, it might be an attempt to discredit the main movement. 

How?

Recently, a Twitter account released a four-minute-long video falsely claiming that the #EndSARS protest was due to tribal differences and is being used by one tribe to oust the president. This propaganda video has received 250,000 views as at the time of writing this article. Countless people have watched and spread the video through other channels. This might lead to ethnic strife in the country, which is the last thing we need right now.

What can we do?

1. When you see a sensationalist post (a post that is shocking and likely to rouse anger), be sure to confirm from different sources whether the narrative is real and current. Do not engage, share or retweet a post if you aren鈥檛 sure it鈥檚 true. News has a way of spreading like wildfire, and sensationalist posts travel even more wildly. By retweeting, you are helping to spread potentially false information that might endanger life.
2. If you confirm that the post is fake, the next thing you should do is report the post immediately. Twitter, for example, has a wide range of possible reasons to report a post. Report immediately and urge your followers to the same.
3. Another way to help is by asking the elderly and less tech-savvy such as your parents to verify the information they receive on social media with you, especially WhatsApp broadcast messages. This will help slow the spread of harmful narratives.
4. Finally, you have to do your part. Create and forward posts containing true, verified facts to counter the spread of false narrative. For example, if you see a message looking to stir up religious or ethnic tensions on a group chat, report the message to the group admin. Next, write a solid rebuttal (with veritable  proof) and share with the group chat. Encourage members to ignore the false narrative and educate them on the truth as well.

Everyone has a part to play in this fight. Do yours.

We hope you’ve learned a thing or two about how to unfuck yourself when the Nigerian government moves mad. Check back every weekday for more 91大神 Citizen explainers.

This morning, 21/10/2020, there’s a lot happening in different parts of Lagos. We’ve gathered some information through social media on what’s happening in different parts of Lagos.

Shootings in Yaba

According to updates on social media, there are currently random shootings in the Adekunle and Sabo axis of Yaba. Tyres are being burnt as well.

Here’s a video of armed policemen beating and then shooting an unarmed civilian.

Soldiers are dispersing protesters in Badagry

The police are shooting at Badagry roundabout, while soldiers are scattering the place where protesters are.

Agbara police station on fire

Agbara police station is allegedly currently on fire.

Oyingbo bus terminal being burnt down

According to a medical officer at Federal Medical Center, Ebute Metta, area boys are currently attacking the local government office behind the hospital and some people are climbing the fence to seek solace in the hospital premises.

TVC station on fire

Clashes in Ifako, Gbagada

There are street wars happening in Gbagada, with police firing live rounds at an angry mob who allegedly attempted to burn down a police station.

Inferno at Lagos High Court, Igbosere

According to various eyewitnesses and from the video below, Lagos High Court, Igbosere, on Lagos Island is on fire. It was allegedly set on fire by an angry mob.

Berger BRT Station on fire

The Berger BRT station, along with some buses, is reportedly on fire.

Shootings at Braiga

Several witnesses have reported hearing shootings at the Ilaje axis of Bariga. There are unconfirmed rumors of the Ilaje police station being on fire.

We’ll keep updating this article with more information on what’s happening around Lagos. Please stay safe.

If the president is not moving fast with police reforms, we can submit a petition to the National Assembly.

24-hour Curfew

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has imposed a 24-hour curfew on all parts of Lagos State as from 4 pm, 20th October 2020. He also added that only essential service providers and first responders “must be found on the streets”.

What is particularly interesting about this curfew is that the governor did not state from where he was drawing the powers to impose the curfew. Granted that he is the Chief Executive Officer of the state, a statewide curfew order must still derive from laws and constitutional powers.

This was, well, a proclamation – and one that security officers will be happy to follow.

Violence Amidst The End SARS Protests

For 12 days now, the EndSARS protests have been ongoing relatively peacefully across different cities in Nigeria. But over the past few days, the protests have turned violent in some parts of Nigeria, with rival terror gangs using the protests as a cover to cause mayhem.

Flowing from this, the Lagos State Governor stated that he had to impose the curfew so that anarchy would not descend on the state. Remember that the Edo State Governor yesterday after news broke that prisoners had escaped prison in Benin City, Edo State.

The Governor Has Played His Hand, What Can We Do?

The #EndSARS protests have witnessed significant incidents of violence over the past few days. The once peaceful protests seem to have been hijacked by hoodlums, thugs and rival cult gangs. The jailbreak in Benin yesterday is proof of this, and it seems state governors are happy to use this as a reason to impose curfews.

Read: #EndSARS: Prisoners Have Allegedly Broken Out of A Benin Prison

A Petition To The Senate Committee On Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions

Given that the president has refused to move speedily with the reform of the Nigerian Police Force, an alternative will be for the National Assembly to step in.

Section 88 of the Constitution gives the National Assembly the powers to direct investigation into the affairs of any government official executing laws enacted by the National Assembly.

The Inspector of General of Police operates under the Police Act 2020, and clearly is a government official working under laws enacted by the National Assembly.

Nigerians can subsequently write a petition to a senator (or through their lawyer) who will then present it to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions. The committee will present the petition to the Senate, and an investigative hearing will be held on the petition.

The is the committee of the Nigerian Senate who takes petitions on various issues of concerns from Nigerian citizens.

This way, the IGP can be summoned before the Nigerian Senate.

P.S: If you don’t trust the Nigerian Senate or anyone in the Nigerian Government to act, that is more reason for you to come out and vote at the by-elections happening all over Nigeria this October 31, 2020.

Read: Everything You Need To Know About The Upcoming By-Elections

We hope you’ve learned a thing or two about how to unfuck yourself when the Nigerian government moves mad. Check back every weekday for more 91大神 Citizen explainers.