The African Action Congress has knocked the Chairman of Lagos State Parks and Garages management Committee, Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, over his comment on the whereabouts of the bodies of protesters purportedly killed during the #EndSARS protest in October 2020.
The party said the comment made by Oluomo was unfortunate, saying while other reputable Nigerians were “struggling to seek justice for the #EndSARS victims, both dead and alive, and as the second #EndSARS memorial draws closer, the transport boss would seize this time, just in the bid to open old wounds, both in the hearts of Nigerian youths and the direct victims; those who lost their loved ones.”
Oluomo, had on Sunday, during a rally he organised in Lagos in support of the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, queried the Lekki shooting, and said it could not be linked to Tibubu.
A statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the AAC, Adeyeye Olorunfemi, on Monday, however, decried Oluomo’s comments.
It partly read, “The AAC seizes this medium to respond to the very unfortunate statement uttered by Alhaji Akinsanya, a supporter of the APC presidential candidate, during his sponsored Lagos rally that held yesterday, October 9, 2022.
“In the viral video sighted online, Musiliu Akinsanya “MC Oluomo” was seen asking Nigerian youths who participated in the biggest anti-police brutality protest nauseating questions about the Lekki massacre, with the claim that it was phantom:
“where are the bodies?”, “Where are their relatives?”, “where were they buried?”
“It is rather unfortunate that while our comrades and other reputable Nigerians are struggling to seek justice for #EndSARS victims, both dead and alive, and as the second #EndSARS memorial draws closer, the transport boss would seize this time, just in the bid to open old wounds, both in the hearts of Nigerian youths and the direct victims; those who lost their loved ones, and livelihood during the Lekki Massacre of October 20, 2020.”
The AAC decried that justice had not been gotten for the victims of the shooting, asking that MC Oluomo must apologise to Nigerians and be subsequently prosecuted.
“It beats one to hear such vitriolic anecdotes being told by a high-ranking supporter of the APC presidential candidate after the whole questions surrounding the shooting have been settled over a year ago by a panel set up by the Lagos State Government itself. Recall that the panel found the Nigerian state and its apparatus culpable of different crimes in its report. But till today, the said, “white paper” of the government has not brought justice to the victims and no culprits including known military and police officers have been arrested or prosecuted for committing such a heinous crime against the people of Nigeria.
“Our party demands forthwith that the statement be withdrawn with an apology to all Nigerian youths. After that is done immediately, Musiliu Akinsanya must be arrested and questioned over his knowledge of the Lekki Massacre, which he claimed was a “political game.”
“It is now important more than before, that the report be re-published by the Lagos state government for everyone including Musiliu Akinsanya to read for themselves the answers to those asinine questions.
“We also demand immediate truth and reconciliation process for all victims of #EndSARS and that those languishing in detention centres across the country be released before the commencement of the activities of the second memorial,” the statement added.
In October 2020, thousands of youths trooped out to the streets in Nigeria and the diaspora, protesting extra-judicial killing by the police, particularly by the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad.
Following the shooting at Lekki Tollgate on October 20, 2020, a Judicial Panel was set up by the state government to investigate petitions on police brutality in the state.
The panel submitted two reports — one on police brutality cases and another on the Lekki incident investigation.
The panel listed 10 fatalities arising from the shooting by the Nigerian Military at the Lekki tollgate on October 20, 2020. It also recommended the redeployment and prosecution of the Divisional Police Officer of Maroko Police Station, for the arbitrary shooting and killing of protesters.
