Atiku Abubakar, former vice-president and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has renewed calls for accountability over the October 2020 Lekki shooting. He asked who ordered the violence against protesters, six years after the incident.
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In a post on X on Tuesday, Atiku accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of failing to provide answers over the shooting or to give young Nigerians a better future.
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“Six years after the Lekki shooting, Nigeria is still waiting for a clear answer to one devastating question: Who gave the order?” he wrote.
Criticism of Tinubu’s 2020 response
Atiku also faulted President Bola Tinubu’s reaction at the time, recalling remarks the president made in October 2020 questioning the presence and conduct of protesters who suffered casualties.
“At a moment when Nigerians were demanding accountability for the violence against peaceful protesters, his response appeared more concerned with questioning the victims than demanding answers from those responsible,” he wrote.
According to Atiku, the failure to provide satisfactory answers has deepened public distrust. He said the anger now trending online reflects grief that has hardened over time, rather than a social media performance.
“It is the pain of families still demanding answers, and of young people who watched their calls for dignity meet violence and then watched the country move on without the truth they deserve,” he said.
He argued that the APC, which has governed Nigeria throughout the six years, cannot keep asking Nigerians to remember the dead while refusing to confront the unanswered questions. “A government that cannot give citizens confidence that their lives matter has failed one of its most basic duties,” he said.
Pivot to cost of living
Atiku then turned to the economy, citing the price of petrol, which he put at N1,405 per litre. He said the increase has made it harder for households to afford food, rent, education and transportation.
To illustrate the strain on workers, he shared an account from one of his aides about a young woman who reportedly resigned because her salary could no longer cover her transport costs. Quoting her, he wrote: “The pay no longer covers transport. Everything in Nigeria just dey increase in price. Feels like I’m working for Bolt guys.”
Economic recovery plan
Atiku said his Economic Recovery Plan is built to address this hardship, with the aim to “Make Nigeria Affordable Again.” Its measures include support tied to fuel refined in Nigeria, with the savings passed on to consumers, more local production to create jobs, protection for minimum-wage earners and student support. He said these would be funded by cutting waste rather than imposing new taxes.
He closed by saying young Nigerians deserve the truth about the Lekki shooting and an economy that gives them a fair chance. “Six years on, the APC has had ample time to answer for its record. Nigerians are entitled to ask why the answers and the opportunities are still missing,” he said.
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