#EndSARS: Atiku Accuses APC Of Failing To Answer Questions Over Lekki Shooting

The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Atiku Abubakar, has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress of failing to provide answers about the October 20, 2020, Lekki Toll Gate shooting, six years after the incident.

Atiku said Nigerians were still waiting to know who ordered the shooting, accusing President Bola Tinubu of questioning victims rather than demanding accountability for the incident.

He made the remarks in a statement commemorating the sixth anniversary of the #EndSARS protests and the Lekki Toll Gate shooting on Tuesday.

Atiku recalled Tinubu’s comments shortly after the incident, alleging that the President had questioned protesters who suffered casualties during the shooting.

“Six years after the Lekki shooting, Nigeria is still waiting for a clear answer to one devastating question: Who gave the order?” Atiku said.

He added that Tinubu, in October 2020, had suggested that those who suffered casualties during the shooting had questions to answer.

According to Atiku, the President’s remarks appeared to focus on questioning the victims rather than seeking answers from those responsible for the incident.

“The APC has governed Nigeria through these six years. It cannot keep asking Nigerians to remember the dead while refusing to confront the unanswered questions,” he said.

Atiku also linked the anniversary to the economic challenges facing young Nigerians, citing rising petrol prices and the increasing cost of living.

He said the high cost of transportation, food, education and rent had made it increasingly difficult for young people to secure and maintain employment.

To illustrate the situation, Atiku recounted an account shared by one of his aides about a woman who reportedly resigned from her job because her salary could no longer cover her transportation costs.

The ADC chieftain argued that the situation reflected the difficulties faced by workers whose earnings had been eroded by rising prices.

He also criticised the APC administration’s economic policies, saying the government’s promise of renewal had not translated into improved living conditions for many Nigerians.

Atiku said his proposed Economic Recovery Plan was designed to address the challenges through measures aimed at reducing costs, boosting local production, protecting minimum-wage earners and supporting students.

He added that the plan would include measures to pass on savings from domestically refined fuel to consumers and reduce government waste, rather than impose additional taxes.

“Young Nigerians deserve the truth about Lekki. They deserve a government that protects life, and an economy that gives work a chance to lead somewhere,” Atiku said.

He called for accountability over the 2020 incident, insisting that Nigerians deserved answers about the shooting as well as economic opportunities that would improve their livelihoods.