Members of the United Kingdom Parliament on Monday took turns to condemn the Federal Government of Nigeria for the attack and intimidation of protesters who took part in the #ENDSARS protest.
They demanded sanctions on government officials and security agents such as visa ban, freezing of assets and halting the funding and training for the Nigeria Police Force.
The debate was as a result of a petition initiated by Silas Ojo which had garnered over 200,000 signatures.
The debate by members of the Petitions Committee, which took place at the Westminster Hall, kicked off with Theresa Villiers, a member of the British Conservative Party who served as Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs from 2019 to 2020.
The Member of Parliament for Chipping Barnet constituency said, “I believe the petitioners have a credible case for the imposition of individualised sanctions such as travel bans and asset freezes.”
She said the UK Government must explain the role of the government in training security agents who end up abusing the rights of Nigerian citizens.
The MP for Edmonton, Kate Osamor, described as undemocratic, the claim by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed that the killings at the Lekki toll plaza was fake news.
Osamor stated, “The Nigerian government says that it has disbanded SARS but the corruption and brutality of the security forces continues. The Nigerian government’s violence against its own citizens appears only to be intensifying.
Responding on behalf of the UK government, the MP for Aldridge-Brownhills, Wendy Morton, who is also the Minister at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, said the reports of intimidation of #EndSARS protesters were worrying.
Morton said, the UK government was communicating with the President’s Chief of Staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, and Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu on the matter.