New Telegraph

Lekki attack: Use of live bullets high crime against Nigerian citizens – NLC 

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has said the use of live bullets against the youths demanding for good governance, was a high crime against citizens of the country.

 

A statement signed by President of the NLC, Comrade Ayuba Wabba and General Secretary of th Congress, Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja, condemned the killings of the protesters at Lekki Toll Gate on Tuesday in Lagos State, stressing that government has a responsibility to promote law and order as well as curtail violence.

The statement, which was  made to newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja, urged government to dialogue and give the youths a listening ear with a view to arriving at a compromise on the demands put forward by the youths.

The statement reads in part: “This protest which started first in Lagos and Abuja as a peaceful demand for an end to police brutality especially the scrapping of the Special Anti-robbery Squad (SARS) and for the reform of the Nigeria Police, has spread to many parts of the country.

“The demands of the protesters have since snowballed into other demands including the call for improvement in the quality of governance and the guarantee of democratic rights for all citizens. These are enduring values espoused by the Nigeria Labour Congress.

“We reiterate that 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 high crime against the people of Nigeria and must be roundly condemned by all patriots and lovers of democracy.

“While government has a responsibility to promote law and order and curtail violence, it should be done within the context of global best practices on protest management and in line with international conventions on the protection of human rights and dignity.”

 

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