Reactions as Lagos Government Allegedly Plans Mass Burial for EndSARS Victims

News - Women's Perspective

Public reactions have trailed a recent revelation that Lagos State government has concluded plans to bury the #EndSars protesters killed at Lekki Tollgate on October 20, 2020.

According to SaharaReporters and Peoples Gazette, governor Sanwo-Olu has allegedly approved the mass burial of at least 103 protesters who were ‘massacred’ by joint forces of the Nigerian Army and the police during the October 20, 2020 protest against police brutality tagged #EndSARS at the Lekki toll gate.

According to a letter alleged to have been seen by Peoples Gazette and published on the social media handles of SaharaReporters, the letter dated July 19 by the public procurement agency, the state government engaged the services of Messrs Tos Funeral Ltd, a private firm, for the mass burial.

It stated that the state government engaged the firm at the cost of N61,285,000 to bury 103 bodies which were identified to be victims of the killings.

Peoples Gazette quoted the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Sanwo-Olu, Gboyega Akosile on the matter said that the government will release its response soon.

Following the revelation, Nigerians took to Twitter to express their anger and frustration at the Lagos State Government following the initial denial of the killings by Governor Sanwo-Olu.

Some of the reactions:

@OnlineGuru_: “They denied the shooting at Lekki. They claimed nobody was killed. Now they are giving approval of a mass burial of 103 #EndSARS Victims 😳😳😳😳😳

“Oh, my God!! @jidesanwoolu and APC are EVIL!!”

@PIDOMNIGERIA: “TOS Funerals Limited is a privately owned and family-run funeral business, established by Mrs Taiwo Ogunsola in Lagos. Lagos state govt @followlasg took the bodies of slain Lekki tollgate #Endsars protesters to secretly hide in that morgue for almost 3 years, then lied to us.”

@SerahIbrahim: “I need @jidesanwoolu and whoever runs the Lagos Govt @followlasg to explain this official document signed by Onafowote Idowu the DG PPA Lagos.

“103 Dead Bodies to be buried by TOS Funerals on a Mass Grave? #EndSARS victims was actually written on it🤦🏼‍♀️.”

@General_Oluchi: “The 103 dead bodies of #Endsars protesters that the Lagos State Government want to bury in a mass grave is a subtle threat to Nigerians watching the Judiciary.

“They are indirectly showing us what they are capable of — killing innocent people and hiding their bodies for years. This threat is dead on arrival!”

“FS_Yusuf: “If you ever said no one was killed at #LekkiTollGate during #EndSARS, it will never be well with you!”

JaypeeGeneral: “Nigeria youths were killed at the Lekki Tollgate on 20-10-2020, but Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu lied on CNN and claimed that no dead body was found at the Tollgate.

“Now, here is evidence from Lagos State Government showing that 103 people died during #EndSars! And no justice has been done. Those who killed them are still walking freely. Nigeria keeps failing us😭

@MavisIkpeme: “DJ switch has finally been vindicated, and I hope people like Omolola Jalade that disputed the #endsars massacre by constantly asking for the dead bodies are now satisfied !! 103 died at the lekki toll gate. A genocide untold!! They can’t bury this!!”

@kritical_tots: “May it not be well with everyone who denied and lied about people dying in the #Endsars protests atthe lekki toll gate in 2020.

“That is how you would disappear forever like a chicken and no one will believe you’re gone. You will never rest in peace.”