Emerging report indicates that 81 Professors of African Studies, both Nigerians and non-Nigerians, have written a letter to the United States of America, USA, President-elect, Joe Biden, and Vice President-elect, Kamala Harris, seeking sanctions, including travel ban, for those responsible for the shooting of unarmed EndSARS protesters at Lekki toll gate, on Tuesday night, October 20, in Lagos.
In their letter dated November 13, 2020, the Professors called for specific policy actions in response to the EndSARS movement in Nigeria, from the incoming Biden/Harris US administration.
They specifically wrote to the Biden-Harris Transition Team, chaired by Ted Kaufman, and co-chaired by Anita Dunn, Cedric Richmond, Michelle Lujan Grisham, and Jeffrey Zients.
The Professors who signed the letter include: Carl LeVan, American University; Chiedo Nwankwor, Johns Hopkins-SAIS; Patrick Ukata, Halsik Group; Rita “Kiki” Edozie, University of Massachusetts – Boston; and Olufemi Vaughan, Amherst College.
Others are: John Campbell, Council on Foreign Relations; Steve Feldstein, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; Mojubaolu Olufunke Okome, Brooklyn College – CUNY; Onwubiko Agozino, Virginia Tech; Matthias Chika Mordi, Johns Hopkins – SAIS; Brandon Kendhammer, Ohio University; Omolade Adunbi, University of Michigan – Ann Arbor; and Shobana Shankhar, Stony Brook, SUNY.
The letter read in part: “We, therefore, urge the United States to: Use the authority granted under the Global Magnitsky Act, to place targeted sanctions, including asset freezes, and travel bans, on Politicians, Officials, and other Nigerians implicated in recent human rights abuses. These incidents should include but not be limited to the ‘Lekki Toll Gate Massacre’, various attacks on protestors since October 8, and other abuses of Nigerians engaged in peaceful free speech activities.”
They also sought for the suspension of Security assistance and Military sales to the Nigeria Police Force and Security Forces implicated in, or broadly culpable for violence utilised against the EndSARS protesters, “until the Buhari administration fully complies with relevant laws and policies, to ensure accountability for human rights violations”.
More news later…
