There is anxiety among the nation’s security agencies and panic among the citizens as youths are already mobilizing on social media to hold fresh protest at the Lekki Tollgate over its planned reopening on Saturday.
Nigerians, irked by the urgency in reopening the tollgate, scene of the Army and Police shooting of unarmed ENDSARS protesters, had by Monday morning been mobilizing under the hashtags #OcuppyLekkiTollgate and #RevolutionNow, with the number one trending topic on Nigerian Twitter being number one and three respectively.
As of 11 am, some of the youths shared Display Pictures and banners to create awareness about the protests, showing that the takeoff time is 7am on Saturday, February 13, 2020.
Some of the posters have inscriptions such as “No justice, no reopening”, and “Occupy Lekki tollgate” among others.
On Saturday, February 6, the Justice Doris Okwuobi-led Judicial Panel in Lagos State on the ENDSARS protests granted permission to the Lekki Concession Company to take over the Lekki tollgates that have been shut down since the October 20 shooting incident.
Many Nigerians especially the youths expressed shock at the planned reopening, with ENDSARS activist who flee to Canada at the end of the protests, DJ Switch and musician/activist, Peter Okoye, kicking against the reopening of the tollgates.
The Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry probing the alleged killing of ENDSARS protesters at the tollgate on October 20 last year had in a split ruling, approved the reopening.
Four of the nine members faulted the report of the forensic experts hired to comb the scene for evidence, also rejecting the application by the Lekki Concession Company, operator of the Lekki tollgate, to take possession of the facility, which had been shut down since the probe of the shootings started.
The four members who rejected the forensic report are the two representatives of the Civil Society (Mr Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN) and Ms. Patience Udoh) and the two youth representatives on the panel (Rinu Oduala and Temitope Majekodunmi).
But the chairman of the panel, retired Justice Doris Okuwobi, and four other members of the panel acceded to LCC’s request to repossess the tollgate.
The chairman was backed by Segun Awosanya (popularly known as Segalink), Oluwatoyin Odusanya (Director, Citizens Rights), DIG Taiwo Lakanu (retd.) (representing the Police) and Lucas Koyejo (from the National Human Rights Commission).
One of the campaigners, Omoyele Sowore, tweeted, “No to the reopening of #Lekkitollgate, the perpetrators of #LekkiMassacre must be brought to book.”
Dr Chuks @AhanekuChuks urged those planning to protest to strategise properly, saying, “Now we move with strategies and togetherness, it is time you showed what you have got for the government.
“We have given them much time but they took our silent night for granted not knowing that we are putting heads together to study how to bring peace to the new generation.”
Dtowncrier threatened that “Reopen Lekki tollgate and reopen #EndSARS protest.”
Benzkovic001 @Benzkovic001 also faulted the reopening of the Lekki tollgate.
Coconut Head @iamProficience added, “We never believed the panel, nothing good ever came out of any panel in Nigeria but a mere inquiry. No going back till there’s justice for all! #OccupyLekkiTollGate on Saturday! #Endsarsbrutality.”
“We all knew that the panel is just a means to divert youths’ attention, only the rich and those in power get justice. But history has been made and stories will be told of how the youths of Nigeria fought against #Badgovernment #EndSARS,” @Shaddyrok added.