Nigerian Women Mediators Network Supports #ENDSARSPEACEFULPROTEST by Nigerian youths & Young Persons

A Press Statement:

Oct 21, 2020, by 5 pm

Tuesday, October 20, 2020, was indeed a black day for all members of Nigerian Women Mediators Network, Nigerian women, and Mothers.

We washed in awe how our youths and young person’s 12th-day peaceful protest turned violent and bloody with soldiers and men in Nigerian Army uniform and weaponry opened firearms and live ammunition on peaceful protesters whose only weapon was their voices, NIGERIA’s Green & White flag and our Nations National Anthem, after disconnecting CCTV cameras and electricity at Lekki Phase one Tollgate.

They were singing our national anthem as we had advised them according to the principles and letters of our 1999 constitution which the military swore to protect and defend, but alas, our children, our youths, our future generation were deliberately wasted and their bright future truncated at Lekki Phase one Toll Gate Lagos. What started as a beautiful campaign by our children a few weeks ago has been hijacked by mindless individuals and criminals with a different intent?

What was the crime of Nigerian youths and young Persons? They dared to desire and demand good and qualitative governance in a country that has consistently failed all its citizens in all ramifications of development. From Maintaining peace and security to providing quality education, health care, employment for the youths, electricity, water, good roads to mention but a few, the Nigerian government from local, state, and federal levels have failed Nigeria and Nigerians. 

The only crime of Nigerian youths and young persons is that they dared to ask and demand justice and good governance for Nigerian police and all the youths Police Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) have in most southern states of the federation cut short their young lives for the most mundane and obscure reasons including holding and using a smart phone.

Our Youths took to the streets to peacefully protest against police brutality and the need for holistic security reforms.

This is the latest in a series of long human rights abuses Nigeria is known and characterized for.

To this end, Nigerian Women Mediators Network demands that all Nigerian government functionaries must be held directly responsible for this heinous crime against humanity.

This is because; under no circumstances should civilians and youths be shot by soldiers in a civilized world.

We, Nigerian Women Mediators Network through this press release state in unequivocal terms that we stand with Nigerian Youths.

We stand with the demands of the #EndSARS Protests.

Our youths have a right to a peaceful protest and that is what they are doing.

We state in very clear terms that this military brutality is unacceptable. As lovers of peace and peaceful mediators, we state that violence is not a response to a peaceful protest.

Nigerian Women Mediators Network are mourning our children and demanding that the government be held accountable.

We are calling on the global community and all lovers of Nigeria everywhere in the world to stand with us in these trying times.

We call on you to make demands of your Government to hold Nigerian Governments at all levels accountable for the Genocide of its people.

Nigeria is a signatory to human rights treaties and is not a military state.

Nigerian Women Mediators Network will keep calling for accountability and total reforms for the good governance of the only country we call our own until our demands are met and our children’s killers are brought to justice.

We mourn the untimely death of our gallant young Nigerians cut down in their prime.

We weep for a system that failed woefully to protect their own.

As mothers, we are tired of losing our children. Enough is enough.

NWMCI sympathizes with the families of our slain patriotic youths and all who lost their lives.

May God comfort them and grant them the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

May the souls of our slain young heroes and heroines rest in perfect peace and may their labor and death not be in vain.

Their blood cry for justice, equality, fairness, and a re-awakening for a better Nigeria.

 God bless our gallant youths!

 God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

SIGNED

NIGERIAN WOMEN MEDIATORS NETWORK

21ST OCTOBER 2020.