Emergency Statement on the shooting of unarmed protesters by Nigerian security personnel at Lekki Toll Gate Nigeria
Unison Community and Voluntary organisations Branch, stands in solidarity with our many members of Nigerian origin and joins them in condemning the shooting of unarmed peaceful young demonstrators on Tuesday 20th October 2020. The demonstrators were protesting Police brutality and violence. This action carried out by the Nigerian Army against civilians has killed and maimed an as yet unconfirmed number of young people. Video footage clearly shows the dead and gravely injured, and shows ambulances being prevented from reaching victims.
We call on the British Trade Union Movement to join us in sending messages of condemnation to The Nigerian authorities, and to join in supporting the Nigerian community in the UK in their protests against this killing.
We support calls from the Nigerian community to immediately:
- bring a halt to all use of live ammunition against civilian protesters
- release all protesters from custody
- suspend all security personnel involved in both killing protesters and giving orders to do so
- ensure all the injured have access to free healthcare
We further call on the British Government to issue a strong statement condemning the killings.
#ENDSARS
UNISON CVOB
#End SARS protest in Nigeria – NBMC statement of solidarity
Nigeria has seen a wave of protests led by young people in recent weeks. These protests, which started first in Lagos and Abuja as a peaceful demand for an end to police brutality, especially the scrapping of the Special Anti-Crime Response Squad (SARS) and for the reform of the Nigeria Police, have spread to many parts of the country. The demands of the protesters have since grown to include the call for improvement in the quality of governance and the guarantee of democratic rights for all citizens.
The right to peaceful assembly is guaranteed by Section 40 of Nigeria’s Constitution, the United Nations Universal Declarations on Human Rights, the African Union Charter on Human and Peoples Rights and other relevant international conventions. The use of live bullets to suppress, harm and kill peaceful protesters is a crime against the people of Nigeria and must be roundly condemned.
UNISON’s National Black Members’ Committee mourns the death of innocent young Nigerians and condemns their coldblooded murder and the use of violence on unarmed protesters.
UNISON NBMC sends its solidarity to the Nigerian affiliates of Public Services International and the Nigerian Labour Congress and joins with them in calling on the Nigerian government to end the violence and to entering into talks with protest leaders. UNISON also expects that the deaths of protesters will be investigated by an independent enquiry so that the families of those killed can receive justice for their loved ones.