Nigerian Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is expressing his condolences and promising justice for as many as 12 peaceful protesters shot dead by Nigerian Security Forces at the Lekki toll plaza.
Osinbajo's comments, in a series of tweets Wednesday night, were the first public comments from the country's leaders referring to Tuesday’s shooting in Lagos state.
President Muhammadu Buhari, who has said little about the protests engulfing his country, did not mention the Lekki shootings in a statement Wednesday but issued a call for calm and vowed police reforms.
The international human rights group Amnesty International said in a report Wednesday, a total of 38 people died on Tuesday and at least 56 people over the past two weeks in protests directed at the police Special Anti-Robbery Squad, known as SARS, which Amnesty accused of torture and murders.
The government disbanded SARS last week but that has not tempered the outrage, with some demonstrators defying a curfew on Wednesday, which reportedly lead to more shooting, but there were no immediate reports of casualties.
Amnesty also claims in its report that security cameras at the toll gates where protesters had gathered were removed by government officials prior to the shooting.
Osai Ojigho, director of Amnesty International in Nigeria said that in addition to investigating what happened Tuesday night, they also want to know who gave the orders for the soldiers to be there.
Nigeria’s military has denied responsibility for the shootings near the Lekki toll gates.
There were reports of shots being fired during demonstrations in other Nigerian towns, including the capital city, Abuja.
It is unclear if there were any casualties.
