Goodluck Jonathan, an ex-president of Nigeria has condemned the killings at Lekki Tollgate after Nigerian Army opened fire on unarmed protesters.
In a statement titled: ‘A call for Peace’ Jonathan stated that no nation can win against its people. He also averred that the use of deadly force against citizens only aggravates the tense situation.
The former President said;
“My heart goes out to the families of young Nigerians who have lost their lives in the past days as a result of #EndSARS protests. May God grant them the fortitude they need at this difficult time.
It has been a difficult time to me as well. ‘’Nation-building is a collective task that involves the genuine efforts of all patriotic citizens; old or young. Our country cannot afford to lose the lives of our youth who we look up to take over leadership and continue our nation’s journey to greatness.
‘’As leaders, we must understand that a nation can never win a battle against its own people. Thus, the use of deadly force against citizens only aggravates tense situations rather than assuage it. We must therefore move away from battlegrounds to middle grounds in our individual and national life. This, I believe, epitomises the essence of democracy.
‘’I condemn any unnecessary loss of life and urge efforts to be stepped up to ensure that there is no such recurrence. We all must accept that we are all brothers and sisters of one Nigeria, and always act towards each other accordingly. I urge protesters to do so with caution.”
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