#LekkiMassacre: “We Paid With Our Blood”- Nigerian Youths Pay Tribute To Victims Of Tollgate Shootout

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Nigerians pay tribute to victims of Lekki Massacre victims

Nigerians have taken to their various social media platforms to pay tribute to the victims of the #LekkiMassacre.

On this day in 2020, Nigerians were thrown into a melancholic state following the heinous killing of innocent protesters at Lekki Tollgate, Lagos state.

Today, Thursday, October 20, 2022 has been set aside to discuss how the fateful night served as the epiphany of how Nigerian youths perceive the authorities and the government.

Though social media users are predominantly talking about the fallen, the #LekkiMassacre served as a trauma for the average Nigerian youth who was at the time protesting for freedom of expression and right to experience the absoluteness of life without being assaulted by those in power.

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#LekkiMassacre: What Went Wrong On October 2020

In October 2020, Nigerian youths across the country embarked on peaceful protest demonstrations that lasted for nearly two weeks, over accusations of kidnapping, harassment and extortion by the disbanded police unit- Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

However, things quickly degenerated on a fateful Tuesday evening when military personnel opened fire on innocent protesters.

Nigerian disc jockey and social activist, DJ Switch whose real name is Obianuju Catherine Udeh gained nationwide fame after she live-streamed the heinous incident via her Instagram platform.

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In the video, Switch alongside other benevolent Nigerians who escaped from the battle zone was seen attempting to remove a bullet from the leg of a man who was shot, tying a Nigerian flag around his leg.

Switch who has since travelled out of Nigeria to seek asylum claimed at least seven people were shot dead in her presence, meanwhile, several authorities in the country initially denied the claim that neither the incident happened nor there were casualties.

Who Gave The Order?

Lai Mohammed, the minister of information claimed the shootout footage was ‘photoshopped’ and called for the arrest of DJ Switch for instigating pandemonium and unrest among countrymen.

A day after the incident, on 21 October, the governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, initially denied reports of any loss of lives, but later admitted in an interview with a CNN journalist that “only two persons were killed“.

Also, the Nigerian Army confirmed its involvement in the killing of innocent protesters. It was later revealed that it had deployed soldiers to the toll gate on the orders of the governor of Lagos State.

Nigerians have since adopted October 20 as the official day to mourn and pay tribute to the individuals who were shot during the peaceful protest.

Below is a cross-section of comments from netizens:

https://twitter.com/DonHenzzy/status/1582876068188676096?s=20&t=cx16bSmr7jUNm3OIQ5ftoA

https://twitter.com/usman__haruna/status/1582981258027548673?s=20&t=fCoTqwzmxtRm5YznGXsdNA

https://twitter.com/african_mimi/status/1582953339016212480?s=20&t=fCoTqwzmxtRm5YznGXsdNA

https://twitter.com/Theemojiqueen1/status/1582986785273319425?s=20&t=fCoTqwzmxtRm5YznGXsdNA

https://twitter.com/RadianceSmith/status/1582970091041218562?s=20&t=fCoTqwzmxtRm5YznGXsdNA

https://twitter.com/SirLeoBDasilva/status/1582969111059234817?s=20&t=fCoTqwzmxtRm5YznGXsdNA

https://twitter.com/phartycocoa/status/1582872601655128064?s=20&t=fCoTqwzmxtRm5YznGXsdNA

https://twitter.com/goldenlavender5/status/1582956112353308672?s=20&t=fCoTqwzmxtRm5YznGXsdNA

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