#EndSARS: 20 CSOs fault Amnesty International on Lekki shooting

By FRANK IKPEFAN, Abuja

Twenty civil society organisations have joined the Presidency to fault the report by Amnesty International on the alleged shooting of #EndSARS protesters by the military.

The CSOs accused the international rights body of fueling the recent unpleasant outcome of the hijacked #EndSARS protests, saying from its report it was clear that it wanted to destabilise Nigeria.

In a statement, the CSOs noted that the roles of some organisations “masquerading as human rights groups in fuelling the crisis cannot be overemphasised.”

In a statement signed by Dr Chris Nwabuaze for Action Against Bad Governance. (AABAG); Barr. Hafiz Olugbenga, Global Initiative for Peace and Security (GIPES) and Hajiya Aminu Umar Bida for Mother’s Alert Initiative (MOAI).

The groups said in fulfilment of their mandate to ensuring and encouraging peace initiatives in Nigeria and the African continent as a whole, “we see the recent actions by suspected mobs and hoodlums as an affront to the nascent democracy in Nigeria.”

The statement added: “It is our firm conviction moving forward that Nigerians must not sit and watch how an organisation in the likes of Amnesty International truncate our nascent democracy. This would not happen, and Nigerians from all walks of life must stand in defence of our dear country in this critical point of our existence.

“We are using this medium to send a strong message to the promoters of Amnesty International that indeed they have tested the patience of Nigerians and moving forward we shall resist a further fueling of conflict in Nigeria.

“Our message is that Amnesty International has overstayed its welcome in Nigeria and indeed the time to leave is now. We stand in solidarity with Nigerians in this regard, and Amnesty International must leave Nigeria in the interest of peace and tranquillity.

“Nigerians would no longer tolerate any group or association that is against our collective interest as a people and as a country. The time is indeed now. And this remains sacrosanct.” (The Nation)