Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, have separately demanded justice over the October 20, 2020, Lekki Toll Gate shootings.
Politics Nigeria reports that they said Nigerians must not forget the victims or allow the unanswered questions surrounding the incident to fade away.
The two opposition figures made the calls on Tuesday, marking the sixth anniversary of the #EndSARS protests, during which Nigerian youths demonstrated against police brutality and demanded reforms in the Nigeria Police Force.
Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), questioned why the government had yet to provide clear answers about the circumstances surrounding the shootings.
In a post on his X handle, the former vice-president asked who authorised the use of force against the protesters, arguing that the incident remained a painful reminder of the need for accountability.
“Six years after the Lekki shooting, Nigeria is still waiting for a clear answer to one devastating question: Who gave the order?” he asked.
Atiku also criticised President Bola Tinubu’s response to the incident in October 2020, saying it appeared to question the protesters and their conduct rather than address concerns over the violence.
He said the continued absence of satisfactory answers had deepened public distrust, particularly among young Nigerians who had demanded justice during the protests.
According to him, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) should take responsibility for addressing the questions that have persisted throughout its six years in power.
“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 further argued that protecting citizens’ lives was a fundamental responsibility of government, warning that the failure to provide assurances on that obligation could undermine public confidence.
He also connected the unresolved Lekki incident to the economic hardship facing young Nigerians, citing rising fuel prices, declining purchasing power and limited employment opportunities.
The ADC candidate said petrol selling at N1,405 per litre had increased the difficulty of meeting basic expenses, including transportation, food, education and housing.
He illustrated the pressure on workers with the account of a young woman who allegedly resigned from her job because her salary could no longer cover her transportation expenses.
“The pay no longer covers transport. Everything in Nigeria just dey increase in price. Feels like I’m working for Bolt guys,” Atiku quoted the woman as saying.
He maintained that employment was becoming financially unsustainable for some Nigerians because the cost of getting to work consumed a substantial portion of their earnings.
Atiku said his proposed Economic Recovery Plan would seek to address the challenges through support linked to domestically refined fuel, increased local production, protection for minimum-wage earners, student assistance and reduced government waste.
He insisted that young Nigerians deserved both accountability for the Lekki shootings and economic conditions that would allow them to earn a decent living.
Obi, in a separate Facebook post, also called for justice for the victims, describing the shootings as a painful chapter in the country’s history.
The former Anambra State governor said the incident demonstrated the sacrifices Nigerian youths had made in their demand for a better country.
“On that fateful night, peaceful #EndSARS protesters were met with gunfire. Lives were lost, many were injured, and the nation was left with questions about justice, accountability, and the sanctity of human life,” he said.
Obi warned against treating the incident as an ordinary event, insisting that the country must uphold citizens’ rights and ensure that those exercising government authority act responsibly.
“We must never forget. We must never normalise injustice,” he stated.
The NDC presidential candidate also called for a Nigeria where citizens would be protected rather than brutalised and young people would be heard rather than silenced.
He said no Nigerian should face punishment for demanding good governance or seeking a better future, expressing hope that the victims’ sacrifice would strengthen the country’s resolve to prevent a similar tragedy.
“May the souls of the departed continue to rest in peace. May their sacrifice strengthen our resolve to build a Nigeria where this tragedy will never be repeated,” Obi added.