The House of Representatives, through Hon. Tajudeen Yusuf, has called on the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, to tender a “national apology” to the citizens of the country, especially the youths, for saying that hoodlums dressed in Military attire were responsible for the shooting of the peaceful EndSARS protesters at Lekki toll gate, in Lagos, on Tuesday night, October 20, .
Yusuf, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, from Kogi State, made the call in a statement issued on Tuesday.
Yusuf stated that while there are lessons to learn by both the protesters and the government, the AGF’s alleged statement that hoodlums in Military apparel shot at the protesters, deserves to be followed with a national apology.
In the statement titled: ‘Lekki shooting: Apologise for Your Inappropriate Comment – Rep. Tells Malami… asks FG to Reverse Misstep Against Protest Leaders’, the Hon. Member described as condemnable, the circumstances surrounding the withdrawal of two youth members of the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry, and their subsequent resumption of sitting, during the weekend.
He advised the Federal Government to reverse its “missteps” of freezing the Bank accounts, and seizing passports of Nigerian youths considered to have actively taken part in the nationwide protest against Police brutality.
His words: “It is thoroughly confounding that in spite of the Federal Government’s promise to look into the demands of the protesters, government went to great lengths with actions and words that aroused real doubts over its sincerity. The Federal Government asked them to calm down and they did so, only for the Federal Government to embark upon series of arrests, passport seizure and freezing of bank accounts of the EndSARS protesters.
“While right-thinking citizens feel concerned about the real possibilities of driving the democratic expression of dissenting opinions into the threatening catacombs of underground activities, the Federal Government must advice itself against further deliberate missteps. It is absolutely pathetic that a government that promised progressive ideals has consistently shown a tendency to find comfort in dictatorial fiat and jackboot oppression of its people.”
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