U.S Government has restated its call for the Nigerian Government to hold those responsible for the shooting of unarmed protesters in Lagos on Tuesday accountable .
The call came after President Muhammadu Buhari failed to acknowledge that the shooting occurred in his recorded national broadcast on Thursday evening.
According to a statement issued by the Spokesperson of the U.S Department of State, Morgan Ortagus after the meeting between U.S Embassy officials led by Counsellor T. Ulrich Brechbühl and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday evening, the U.S Government condemned the use of force on peaceful protesters by Nigerian security operatives.
See statement
“Counselor T. Ulrich Brechbühl met with Nigerian Vice President Yemi Osinbajo today in Abuja, Nigeria as part of a previously scheduled delegation, which included Assistant Secretary Robert Destro and Assistant Secretary Denise Natali, to raise U.S. concerns about ongoing violence in Nigeria, human rights, religious freedom, and trafficking in persons, and to hear from senior Nigerian Government officials how they are addressing those issues. The Counselor expressed the U.S. condemnation of the use of excessive force by military forces who fired on unarmed demonstrators in Lagos. He expressed condolences to the victims of these shootings and urged the government of Nigeria to abide by its commitment to hold those responsible accountable under the law. The Vice President and the Counselor noted that the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression are essential human rights and core democratic principles. Counselor Brechbühl and Vice President Osinbajo emphasized the importance of U.S. and Nigerian collaboration on common goals of improving security cooperation and strengthening economic partnership to foster mutual prosperity.”
