Title: Supporting the #EndSARS peaceful protest movement in Nigeria.
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
This resolution condemns the violence by Nigerian security forces against peaceful protestors, calls on the African and international human rights community to investigate the use of deadly force against protestors at the Lekki tollgate, and supports the demands of the movement for justice, accountability, and meaningful police reform in Nigeria.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1216 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1216

     Supporting the #EndSARS peaceful protest movement in Nigeria.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 12, 2020

 Mr. Green of Texas (for himself, Mr. Castro of Texas, Mr. Raskin, Ms. 
Lee of California, Ms. Bass, Ms. Jayapal, Mr. Cohen, Mr. McGovern, Mrs. 
  Watson Coleman, Mr. Grijalva, Ms. Pressley, Ms. Fudge, Mr. Danny K. 
Davis of Illinois, and Mr. Schiff) submitted the following resolution; 
         which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
     Supporting the #EndSARS peaceful protest movement in Nigeria.

Whereas, on October 20, 2020, armed security forces reportedly indiscriminately 
        fired live ammunition on a crowd of peaceful protestors that had 
        gathered at the Lekki tollgate in Lagos, Nigeria, resulting in numerous 
        deaths and injuries, in an event now known as ``Black Tuesday'';
Whereas, on October 3, 2020, a widely shared video emerged appearing to show 
        footage of the brutal murder and robbery of a Nigerian civilian by 
        officers of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad, commonly known as 
        ``SARS'';
Whereas since the emergence of this footage, thousands of people across Nigeria 
        have been publicly and peacefully demonstrating against police brutality 
        and demanding the complete disbandment of SARS;
Whereas the #EndSARS protest movement in Nigeria has been peacefully calling for 
        the disbandment of SARS, which has been implicated in widespread human 
        rights abuses, including torture and extrajudicial killings;
Whereas there has been significant evidence of police violence and abuse by SARS 
        in Nigeria, which must be thoroughly and immediately investigated in 
        order to achieve justice for victims;
Whereas all peaceful protestors who were wrongfully arrested for participating 
        or supporting the #EndSARS protests must immediately be released;
Whereas there must be an immediate independent investigation of the actions that 
        led to the killing of and the use of deadly force against protestors at 
        the Lekki tollgate on October 20, 2020;
Whereas justice for the victims--and their families--killed by Nigerian security 
        forces during peaceful demonstrations against police abuse must be 
        addressed;
Whereas comprehensive reform of the security sector, including specific measures 
        of accountability, should be immediately initiated and implemented in a 
        public and transparent manner;
Whereas the Nigerian Government must uphold the right to peaceful protest and 
        assembly in accordance with the International Bill of Rights, the 
        African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, and the Constitution of 
        the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended);
Whereas there are over 1,000,000 Nigerian migrants across the world, with nearly 
        400,000 Nigerian immigrants and their children residing in the United 
        States;
Whereas the African Union issued a strong condemnation of the murder of George 
        Floyd, an African-American man unlawfully killed by Minneapolis police 
        officers, in recognition of the global significance of the Black Lives 
        Matter movement; and
Whereas injustice against Black lives in Nigeria is a matter of international 
        concern, because Black lives matter wherever they may be in the world: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) condemns the violent crackdown on peaceful protestors 
        by the Nigeria's security forces;
            (2) calls on the Nigerian Government to--
                    (A) not use excessive force against peaceful 
                protestors in compliance with international law; and
                    (B) desist from the persecution, harassment, and 
                infringement of the human rights of any and all 
                Nigerians for exercising their rights to protest;
            (3) calls on the African and international human rights 
        community to conduct independent investigations into the use of 
        deadly force against protestors at the Lekki tollgate on 
        October 20, 2020; and
            (4) supports the demands of the #EndSARS movement for 
        justice, accountability, and meaningful police reform.
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