Investigative journalist, Fisayo Soyombo, has shared the audio of an unknown caller threatening to kill a frontline #EndSARS protester and witness of shooting demonstrators at Lekki tollgate in October 2020 by soldiers, Dabiraoluwa Adeyinka.
Many Nigerians took to the streets in October 20 to demand an end to police brutality. The protest took a different turn on October 20 when soldiers stormed the Lekki tollgate and fired gunshots.
While the military insists the shots fired were blank, those present at the protest ground insist there were casualties. Some of the victims have come out to debunk the claims of the military and Federal Government including Adeyinka.
According to a report shared by Fisayo, who works with Foundation for Investigative Journalism, Dabiraoluwa was in the middle of a conversation with friends in the final week of October 2020 when her phone rang.
Fisayo stated that Adeyinka asked rudely; “Who do you want to speak with?” impatient to rejoin her friends, adding that the conversation that followed for the next one minute left the lady astounded.
The caller warned;
I don’t understand English. Calm down and listen carefully to what I have to say.
If you need your life… if your life is any valuable to you, stop all these things. I have your photo… if you ‘do anyhow’, the punishment for sin is death. People have died already. You have no hiding place. We were told to give you a warning before we come to deal with you; that is why I’m calling you.
Read Also: Lekki Shooting: Nigerian Army Changes Position, Says Soldiers Had Both Live And Live Ammunition
The caller added;
Do you understand? Stop all your agitation. This country was in existence before your birth and you won’t be the only one to exist in it. You can’t be causing problems for those of us currently benefiting from the government. This is Lagos; back off! I have warned you!
The call ended abruptly afterwards. According to Soyombo’ report, this was the second call Adeyinka received threatening her life for participating in the protest against police brutality.
In December, at 15 #EndSARS protesters, went to protest at Lagos State Court of Arbitration and Mediation in Lekki, venue of Lagos State Judicial Panel of Enquiry and Restitution for Victims of SARS-related abuses and other matters, saying they suffered gunshot wounds during the #EndSARS protests in Lagos.
Read Also: #EndSARS: ‘We’re Not Ghosts’ – Lekki Shooting Victims Storm Lagos Judicial Panel (Videos/Photos)
The victims, led by their lawyer, Mr Adesina Ogunlana, and accompanied by family members and other protesters including a petitioner Dabiraoluwa Adeyinka, said they were at the location to debunk claims that nobody died or was shot on the night of October 20, at Lekki Tollgate.
While there, Adeyinka alleged that families of victims and hospitals were being threatened or offered money to keep mum; and mentioned some of the hospitals.
She said;
We took dead bodies to a hospital, only for them to tell us that that they cannot give us the data. The shooting by the soldiers was in two patterns. They were shooting into the air and directly at people. With my own very eyes, I could count six lifeless bodies on the ground.
Adeyinka added;
I went personally to see their doctor. I met the HR and he told me to give him 24 hours to provide the database of all these people. Till date he has not got back to us. People died. Some families are not able to come out because they are under threat. We know many people they have threatened; we know many people they have tried to bribe with N200,000, N500,000.
Listen to the audio conversation below;
AUDIO: Unknown caller threatens to kill #EndSARS protest leader for demanding justice for victims.@fijnigeria‘s #PortraitsOfBlood pic.twitter.com/JqYsHTYduB
— ‘Fisayo Soyombo (@fisayosoyombo) January 20, 2021
