After criticism from various Nigerians home and abroad, President Muhammadu Buhari has finally expressed sadness of the massacre at the Lekki toll gate area of Lagos.
Theeditorng.com had reported earlier that soldiers of the Nigerian Army invaded a peaceful protest at Lekki toll gate on Tuesday evening, October 20, killing #EndSARS protesters in the process.
President Buhari addressed Nigerians on Thursday evening following the Lekki massacre of unarmed peaceful protesters at the Lekki toll gate in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial city.
During the speech, President Buhari failed to address the shooting of #EndSARS protesters by soldiers of the Nigerian Army but rather ordered that the protests against police brutality that rocked various cities across the nation before the Lekki massacre on Tuesday be discontinued.
President Buhari said: “I, therefore, call on our youths to discontinue the street protests and constructively engage government in finding solutions.
“Your voice has been heard loud and clear and we are responding.â€
However, after receiving backlash from Nigerians, President Buhari on Friday afternoon, said he was “deeply pained that innocent lives have been lost†during the attack on peaceful protesters at the Lekki toll gate on Tuesday.
Conveying the President’s message in a tweet on Friday afternoon, the Presidency quoted President Buhari to have said that “these tragedies are uncalled for and unnecessary.â€
“I am deeply pained that innocent lives have been lost. These tragedies are uncalled for and unnecessary.†— President @MBuhariâ€, the Presidency tweeted.
“I am deeply pained that innocent lives have been lost. These tragedies are uncalled for and unnecessary.†— President @MBuhari
— Presidency Nigeria (@NGRPresident) October 23, 2020
