ORGANIZATIONAL SIGN-ON:

Demand an international inquiry into the Nigerian government’s mass killing of harmless citizens in Lagos.

On Tuesday, October 20, the world watched in horror as Nigeria’s government unleashed military forces on peaceful protesters in Lagos, killing and maiming harmless citizens.

This is a criminal act of inhumanity. For years, young Nigerians have suffered brutal force, arbitrary arrests, intimidation, harassment, and extrajudicial killings at the hands of the now-disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad, popularly called SARS. Since October 4, when video footage of yet another brutal attack by SARS officials was released, a massive record-breaking population of young Nigerians has taken to the streets.

The righteous protests of young Nigerians mirror the uprisings in defense of Black Lives happening in the United States and all over the world. People everywhere are demanding an end to police brutality and calling for justice.

Yet the Nigerian government’s response is to massacre its own citizens, choosing to brutally repress peaceful protest rather than heed their demands.

That is why Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) is calling for the International Criminal Court and the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights to open an international inquiry into the killing and maiming of #EndSARS protesters.

Please join in solidarity with CAPPA, the people of Nigeria, and the #EndSARS movement to demand justice. Add your organisation’s name below.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Text of petition]

Dear Judge Eboe-Osuji and High Commissioner Bachelet
Attention: Office of the Prosecutor, International Criminal Court

We, the undersigned, stand with Nigerian civil society and echo their demands for an immediate international inquiry into the Nigerian government’s killing and maiming of peaceful #EndSARS protesters at Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos State, on Tuesday October 20, 2020.
In Nigeria, the impunity of the Police force, especially its now disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad, popularly called SARS, has gone on for years without check, and has left many young Nigerians as victims of brutal force, arbitrary arrests, intimidation, harassments and extra-judicial killings.

Video footage of yet another brutal attack by SARS officials in Ughelli, Delta State on October 4, 2020 sparked outrage across the country. That outrage led to a massive record-breaking population of young Nigerians taking to the streets, demanding justice and demanding an end to police brutality.

Notwithstanding the peaceful conduct of these protests, which are mostly street marches, peaceful processions, and convergence at specific open locations, the Nigerian police have cracked down violently -- killing not less than 15 persons in recent weeks.

On the night of October 20, 2020, a new dimension was introduced by the Nigerian government.

In what is now the most infamous criminal act of inhumanity in the history of Nigeria's young democracy, the Nigerian army was unleashed to shoot and maim harmless Nigerian protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos State after what eyewitnesses reported as a surprise and unprovoked firing of rounds, which has also been backed up by video evidences.

In the words of these young Nigerians, ''We asked for the right to live and feel secure in our own country, but rather than heed the plea, the government decided to turn on us with greater violence, outright torture, killing, arresting, brutally engaging us for daring to protest or speak against the continued brutality.”
Nigeria's government massacred its own citizens! There is blood in the land, leaving many in anguish of various degrees of losses.

These actions by the Nigerian government are reminiscent of the tragic days of military dictatorship, not of a country which projects itself to the world as a thriving democracy.

The people of Nigeria are not alone. All over the world, people are demanding an end to police brutality. All over the world, people are rejecting violence. Now, the eyes of the world are on Nigeria. We join in solidarity with the people of Nigeria to demand justice.

We urge you to act immediately and open an international inquiry into the Nigerian government’s killings in Lagos.

Sincerely,