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Lekki Tollgate: In the Name of Reconciliation, the Truth Must Come Out
By Joel Popoola
“At the Lekki toll gate, officers of the Nigerian army shot, injured and killed unarmed helpless and defenceless protesters, without provocation or justification, while they were waving the Nigerian flag and singing the national anthem, and the manner of assault and killing could in context be described as a massacre.”
So concludes a judicial report into events at the Lekki tollgate during last year’s #endSARS protests.
But we only know these findings because the report was leaked to the press.
The report states that some of the army officers deployed to the gate were “not fit and proper to serve” and recommends prosecuting certain policemen for their actions.
If as a nation, we are to move on from this, the darkest of days, prosecution of a handful of individuals will not be enough.
In the interests of truth and reconciliation, we need to instigate a cultural shift towards total transparency from our leaders – not least as the report’s conclusions are at odds with the contemporaneous conclusions of leading politicians.
In the aftermath of the event, Attorney General, Abubakar Malami, suggested videos and pictures of the event were likely to have been manipulated, and that offenders may have been “hoodlums” dressed in military uniform. Information Minister, Lai Mohammed, described the incident as “a massacre without bodies”.
We know now that 11 unarmed people were killed, four more remain missing and are presumed dead. A further 48 Nigerians were injured.
It is to the credit of Lagos state governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu that the inquiry was established at all.
The governor has also promised a “proper response” to the report, stating, “this process will help us start the very difficult process of proper reconciliation, restitution, bringing together of anyone affected.”
Pivotal to that process is total transparency.
Our leaders need to get into the habit of putting as much information and documentation as possible into the public domain, unfiltered and unredacted – even when it makes uncomfortable reading.
As this report has entered the public domain without being officially published is a clear sign that they have nothing to lose from such a move, and everything to gain. Secrecy is illusory in the digital age. Leaders may cling to the mindset of an age when government could stop people criticising them by shutting down newspapers and seizing printing presses, or just keep potentially damaging information secret. But this is not the age we live in now. People will forgive mistakes. They will not forgive attempts to cover up mistakes. And in the social media age, your mistakes will be revealed.
At the digital democracy campaign I lead we are trying to build the platforms politicians can use to build trust in both themselves and the wider political process through a commitment to transparency.
Our Rate Your Leader app allows leaders to communicate directly – person-to-person – with the people they serve. It also allows verified voters in their areas to communicate with them. Users can even rate their local politicians for transparency and accessibility so their friends, family and neighbours can see that their local leader is worth voting for.
Platforms like Rate Your Leader allow local leaders to be completely upfront with their electorates. This may sound like anathema to some, but the evidence suggests that this is the best way to inspire confidence and trust, both in our democratic institutions and their individual representatives. And that trust is likely to be repaid at the ballot box.
There is significant ground for our political class to make up.
As the UK’s prestigious Guardian newspaper put it, the judicial inquiry into the Lekki tollgate incident follows “a year of denials and contradictory theories offered by Nigerian government ministers”.
When citizens do not know what to believe, they will end up believing no-one. That is why the best approach is for our democratic institutions and representatives to publish the unvarnished truth and allow the people to make up their own minds.
The truth is often hard to hear and harder to stomach. But the process of publishing it makes it possible for us to as individuals and as Nigerians acknowledgement it, address it and move past it.
We cannot bring back the dead. But we owe it to the fallen to take every step we can to build a Nigeria where this does not happen again.
Joel Popoola is a Nigerian tech entrepreneur and digital democracy campaigner. He is the creator of the Rate Your Leader app. He can be reached via @JOPopoola
Glo subscribers who use Palmpay app to recharge their lines are in for an exciting time as winners have begun to emerge in the ongoing second edition of the “Recharge and Win Bonanza”, a collaborative promo between Palmpay and Globacom.
The promotion rewards Glo users who recharge their lines via the Palmpay app with a chance to win premium prizes, including the iPhone 15 Pro, Infinix Hot 40, and several other exciting giveaways. According to a joint statement from both companies, the initiative is designed to encourage seamless digital recharges while rewarding customer loyalty in the process.
So far, winners have been announced from the latest draws, with several participants winning brand new Infinix Hot 40 smartphones and other prizes. Among the lucky winners are Basirat Mayowa Opatunji from Osogbo, Osun State, Wisdom Anayo Uzoma, Afeez Akanfe Muraina, and Oyedikachi Herbert.
To ensure convenience, winners outside Lagos will have their prizes dispatched to the nearest Palmpay office for pickup.
Participation in the promo is open until August 8, 2025, and is as simple as recharging a Glo line with ₦500 or more via the Palmpay app. Each qualifying transaction automatically enters the subscriber into a draw for a chance to win. In addition, a daily social media challenge offers more opportunities to win cash prizes.
Palmpay users also enjoy up to 6 percent cashback on Glo airtime and data purchases during the promo. Even better, customers who haven’t activated a Glo data plan in the last 90 days are eligible for a 100% bonus on their recharge.
One of the winners, Basirat Mayowa Opatunji, couldn’t hide her excitement after winning an Infinix Hot 40 smartphone. “I’ve always recharged my Glo line through the Palmpay app, but I never imagined I’d actually win a phone,” she said. Currently studying at Ekiti State University through the Osun State College of Education, Ila Orangun study centre, Basirat added that she would be picking up her prize in Osogbo.
To participate in the ongoing bonanza, Glo subscribers can simply visit: http://bit.ly/PalmPaySms
The Federal government has responded to the United States’ recent visa rules that reduce how long Nigerian visitors can stay in the United States and limit them to one entry per visa by calling on Washington to reconsider its new visa policy.
The U.S. Department of State had recently updated its non-immigrant visa policy for several countries, including Nigeria, on Tuesday.
Under the new rule, most non-diplomatic and non-immigrant visas issued to Nigerian citizens will now be valid for only three months and allow just a single entry into the United States.
The changes took effect immediately.In a notice published on its website, the U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Nigeria state: “Those U.S. non-immigrant visas issued prior to July 8, 2025, will retain their status and validity. We wish to underscore, that as is standard globally, visa reciprocity is a continuous process and is subject to review and change at any time, such as increasing or decreasing permitted entries and duration of validity. You can view the latest information on visa reciprocity schedules for all countries at travel.state.gov.
“The Federal government responded to this by describing the new US directive as “misaligned with the principles of reciprocity, equity, and mutual respect” that ought to govern bilateral engagements between friendly nations in a statement released on Wednesday through Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ spokesperson.
The Federal government said it views this development with concern and keen interest, particularly given the longstanding cordial relations and strong people-to-people ties between our two countries.
“The attention of the Federal government of Nigeria has been drawn to the recent decision by the United States Government to revise its visa reciprocity schedule for Nigerian citizens, limiting the validity of non-immigrant visas including B1/B2, F and J categories to three months with single entry,” it stated.
“The Federal government views this development with concern and keen interest, particularly given the longstanding cordial relations and strong people-to-people ties between our two countries. The decision appears misaligned with the principles of reciprocity, equity, and mutual respect that should guide bilateral engagements between friendly nations.”
It also claimed that this restriction places a disproportionate burden on Nigerian travellers, students seeking academic opportunities, professionals engaging in legitimate business, families visiting loved ones, and individuals contributing to cultural and educational exchanges.
The government also said it understands that every country has the right to make its own immigration rules, but it hopes the U.S. will “reconsider this decision in the spirit of partnership, cooperation, and shared global responsibilities.”
It also added that diplomatic engagements are ongoing, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs remains committed to pursuing a resolution that reflects fairness and upholds the values of mutual interest.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has assembled a team of 97 lawyers to challenge what it describes as the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s ‘fake lawsuit’ against its interim leadership, including former Senate President David Mark and former Minister Rauf Aregbesola.
The legal team, led by Barrister Mohammed Sheriff, made this known in Abuja on Tuesday, accusing the ruling APC of filing a suit using the names of individuals who are not members of the ADC.
The latest development follows a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja between Senator Mark, who is now the ADC’s Interim National Chairman, and the party’s Kogi State chapter.
At the meeting, Mark assured Nigerians that under his leadership, the ADC would operate with total transparency and would not favour any presidential aspirant.
“I don’t own this party more than any other member… All Nigerians must come together and take ownership of the ADC,” he said.
He, therefore, urged party members to set aside their differences and focus on building a united political force, warning that Nigeria’s democracy could fail if citizens remain passive.
The ADC chairman also criticised the APC, saying the ruling party should focus on fixing its own policy failures rather than targeting individuals.
“If they admitted that insecurity was bad and promised to improve it but instead made it worse, should Nigerians continue to support them? The answer is no,” he said.
The ADC alleged that the APC had fabricated names in its lawsuit against the party’s interim leadership.
According to the ADC, investigations showed that the supposed plaintiffs in the suit were not registered members of the party in either Kogi or Nasarawa State.
“It smacks of desperation that a party entrusted with leading 200 million Nigerians would engage in such dishonesty,” the party said.
Mark used the occasion to call for national unity and encouraged Nigerians to support the ADC’s vision of a reformed and people-centred democracy.
“Let us work together to rebuild this nation for future generations,” he urged.
Barrister Sheriff, head of the ADC’s national legal support team, confirmed that 97 lawyers have volunteered to take up the case.
“We are fully prepared to defend the ADC and its leaders against this politically motivated attack,” he said.
