Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka has said that his findings showed that Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu did not invite soldiers to attack #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki toll gate on Tuesday evening.
Soyinka said this on Wednesday and stated that “the Centre chose to act in an authoritarian manner.”
He also condemned the shooting of the protesters and asked State Governors to demand withdrawal of the military to quell further crisis.
“It is absolutely essential to let this government know that the Army has now replaced SARS in the demonic album of the protesters.
“My enquiry so far indicates that the Lagos governor did not invite in the Army, did not complain of a ‘breakdown in law and order’. Nevertheless the Centre has chosen to act in an authoritarian manner and has inflicted a near incurable wound on the community psyche.
“At that earlier mention Lagos sector, Lekki, where most of the affirmative action gatherings had taken place, soldiers opened fire on unarmed demonstrators, killing and wounding a yet undetermined number. One such extra-judicial killing has drenched the Nigerian flag in the blood of innocents – and not symbolically.
“The video has, in accustomed parlance, ‘gone viral’. I have spoken by phone to eye-witnesses. One, a noted public figure has shared his first hand testimony on television. The government should cease to insult this nation with petulant denials.
“To the affected governors all over the nation, there is one immediate step to take: demand the withdrawal of those soldiers. Convoke Town Hall meetings as a matter of urgency. 24-hr Curfews are not the solution. Take over the security of your people with whatever resources you can rummage.
“Substitute community self-policing based on Local Councils, to curb hooligan infiltration and extortionist and destructive opportunism. We commiserate with the bereaved and urge state governments to compensate material losses, wherever,” he added.
“To commence any process of healing at all – dare one assume that this is the ultimate destination of desire? – the Army must apologize, not merely to the nation but to the global community – the facts are indisputable – you, the military, opened fire on unarmed civilians. There has to be structured restitution and assurance that such aberrations will not again be recorded.
“Then both governance and its security arms can commence a meaningful, lamentably overdue dialogue with society. Do not attempt to dictate -Dialogue!,” he said.