Nigerians react to US report dismissing claim of massacre at Lekki Toll Gate
Youths drag DJ Switch
Some Nigerians are currently dragging professional Disk Jockey, Obianuju Catherine Udeh, popularly called Dj Switch for allegedly misleading the nation to believe that many lives were lost at Lekki Toll Plaza when security forces opened fired at protesters on October 20, 2020.
This followed the release of a Human Rights report by the United States on Nigeria yesterday, stating that claims of a massacre at the Lekki Toll Plaza were inaccurate.
The United States government in the newly-released ‘2020 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Nigeria’ admitted security forces fired at protesters, but said there were no indications that lives were lost as a result of this.
The report said, “On October 20, members of the security forces enforced curfew by firing shots into the air to disperse protesters, who had gathered at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos to protest abusive practices by the Nigerian Police Force’s Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
“Accurate information on fatalities resulting from the shooting was not available at year’s end. Amnesty International reported 10 persons died during the event, but the government disputed Amnesty’s report, and no other organisation was able to verify the claim.
“The government reported two deaths connected to the event. One body from the toll gate showed signs of blunt force trauma. A second body from another location in Lagos State had bullet wounds. The government acknowledged that soldiers armed with live ammunition were present at the Lekki Toll Gate.”
In reaction to the report, #LekkiLies is currently trending, with various twitter users airing their views in favour and against the so-called Lekki massacre.
A twitter user, Luxcristalconcept said:
“Dj switch claims she’s been shot at and still waited to count dead bodies, she went so far to say she even spoke to one of the military officers to ask why they were shooting at her and others, ask yourself how can you be shot at and still count bodies and talk to the soldiers?”
@nath79493565 said: “No one is (slandering ) her, we just need her to provide evidence of 75 dead bodies she counted when it was so dark, how she took the dead bodies to the soldiers without (being) shot (at)?”
@Omooba_Aiye twitted: “Her last words were peace and unity” #loriiro #LEKKILIES..” apparently to mock many twitter users who posted a picture from a drama showing a ‘dead body’ draped with blood-stained Nigerian flag being carried by a man.
Christopher Ogbe Arewan tweeted: “We really don’t need the US validation to be vindicated on #Lekkilies. The world hasn’t been whitewashed to a pedestal of making 78 murdered persons unknown, unidentified and unassociated. It has always been fake right from (the) onset. Bless!”
Some others countered the tweets:
JUNIOR OF KETU said:”Since #LekkiMassacre took place, there have been different strategies put in place by this wicked govt to discredit what happened. Seeing #LEKKILIES trending does not move me, it has always been their way. Influencers trending LekkiLies, your moment of endless weeping is near.”
“This country can never get better common sense Nigerians don’t have…we all saw what happened at lekki,because US said what they alone know we are now turning against our self fighting those that stood for us its a big shame…RIP to those who lost their lives at lekki #LEKKILIES”
