By Aiyeku Timothy
Members of the United Kingdom Parliament on Monday debated on a petition against the Nigerian government on the alleged attack and intimidation of protesters who took part in the #EndSARS demonstrations in October 2020.
The debate by members of the Petitions Committee took place at the Westminster Hall.
The debate became necessary after the lawmakers received a petition started by Silas Ojo which had garnered over 200,000 signatures.
The lawmakers blasted the President Muhammadu Buhari government and demanded sanctions on government officials and security agents such as visa ban, freezing of assets and stopping the funding and training for the Nigeria Police Force.
The Member of Parliament for Chipping Barnet constituency said, “I believe the petitioners have a credible case for the imposition of individualised sanctions such as travel bans and asset freezes.”
She said the UK Government must explain the role of the government in training security agents who end up abusing the rights of Nigerian citizens.
In his submission, the MP for Edmonton, Kate Osamor, described the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed’s claim that the killings at the Lekki toll plaza was fake news as undemocratic.
Her words “The Nigerian government says that it has disbanded SARS but the corruption and brutality of the security forces continues. The Nigerian government’s violence against its own citizens appears only to be intensifying
“The Nigerian government needs to stop freezing bank accounts of key protesters; it needs to stop illegal detentions of key protesters. The Minister of Information for the Federal Government went on record to state that the CNN reporting of the massacre is fake news. This is undemocratic conduct.”
Osamor faulted the UK government for selling weapons and provide training to SARS personnel despite being indicted by Amnesty International and other rights groups of extra-judicial killings
In his response on behalf of the UK government, the MP for Aldridge-Brownhills, Wendy Morton, who is also the Minister at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, said the reports of intimidation of #EndSARS protesters were worryng.
He revealed that the UK government was in contact with the President’s Chief of Staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, and Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
“It is a long-standing practice not to speculate on future sanctions as it could reduce the impact of the designations,” Morton said.
“We are aware that some protesters have reported facing intimidation and the British High Commissioner in Abuja continues to raise our concerns about intimidation of civil society groups and peaceful protesters with the Nigerian government,” the minister said.
