End SARS: Nigerians have right to protest – UN

The United Nations (UN), on Wednesday, said Nigerians have right to peaceful assembly and protest.

Thousands of unarmed End SARS protesters were ambushed by the Nigerian army on Tuesday evening at the Lekki tollgate in Lagos, Nigeria’s financial and commercial nerve centre.

The UN Human Rights Chief, Michelle Bachelet while strongly condemning the use of excessive and disproportionate force by Nigerian armed forces in Lagos, Nigeria, said it is an abuse of protesters’s fundamental right.

Bachelet said, “Nigerians, like everyone else, have a fundamental right to peaceful assembly and protest.

“While the number of casualties of yesterday’s shooting at the Lekki toll plaza in Lagos is still not clear, there is little doubt that this was a case of excessive use of force, resulting in unlawful killings with live ammunition, by Nigerian armed forces.

“There need to be immediate, independent, transparent and thorough investigations, not just into last night’s killings, but also into all the previous violations committed by security forces.

“In a population with such a young median age, it is important to listen to the grievances of the younger generation and make an effort to address the multiple problems they face.”