As of Thursday morning Oct. 22, 2020, more than 263,000 people have signed a petition calling on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to indict Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, as state violence against peaceful demonstrators escalates.
On Tuesday night scores of Nigerian demonstrators were shot with live bullets by the country’s armed forces, in Lagos, the country’s commercial capital. The shootings have been universally condemned around the world and protests continue throughout the country, which has Africa’s largest economy.
The protests, under #EndSARS, started over two weeks ago against the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a police unit that’s engaged in wide scale human rights abuses, including robberies, kidnappings, and murders.
Protests have continued, even after SARS was reportedly disbanded, as Nigerians are demanding for good governance and an end to rampant corruption.
The petition calling on President Buhari’s indictment states: “Today in Lagos Nigeria, the Nigerian Army started shooting peaceful protesters at Lekki Toll Gate. This is the latest in a long series of human rights abuses in Nigeria and as the Head of State of Nigeria President Mohammadu Buhari should be held directly responsible for this heinous crime against humanity. Under no circumstances should civilians be shot by soldiers in a civilised world and the perpetrators including the Army Chief of Staff General Buratai, should be brought to justice.”
