Atiku Demands Answers on Lekki Shooting and Economic Hardship

Nigeria's federal government faces renewed demands to address the unresolved 2020 Lekki shooting and the country's worsening cost-of-living pressures, as African Democratic Congress presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar calls for accountability and economic relief. In a post on his X account on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, Atiku criticized the All Progressives Congress-led administration over both issues.

Atiku said Nigerians still lacked clear answers about the shooting of EndSARS protesters at the Lekki tollgate in Lagos on October 20, 2020. He argued that the government's failure to address the incident continued to fuel public anger, grief and distrust, particularly among young people who had demanded justice.

Atiku also criticized President Bola Tinubu's response to the incident in October 2020, saying the reaction appeared to question the protesters who suffered casualties rather than focus on accountability for the violence.

Addressing the unresolved questions surrounding the shooting, the former vice president said,

"Six years after the Lekki shooting, Nigeria is still waiting for a clear answer to one devastating question: Who gave the order?" asked Atiku Abubakar, former vice president.

He placed responsibility for addressing the issue on the governing party, which has led the federal government throughout the six years since the incident.

"The APC has governed Nigeria through these six years. It cannot keep asking Nigerians to remember the dead while refusing to confront the unanswered questions," said Atiku.

Atiku added that protecting citizens' lives and providing accountability were fundamental government responsibilities. He connected the continuing controversy over the shooting with broader concerns about the treatment of young Nigerians and their prospects for the future.

Turning to economic conditions, Atiku cited rising fuel costs, reduced purchasing power and fewer opportunities as evidence of the financial pressure facing households. He said petrol priced at ₦1,405 per liter was making transportation, food, education and housing increasingly difficult to afford.

He criticized the government's economic performance, contrasting its stated commitment to national renewal with the financial challenges facing workers and young people.

"The APC promised renewal. For too many Nigerians, the experience has been rising costs, shrinking opportunity and a future pushed further out of reach," said Atiku.

To illustrate the impact on employment, Atiku described the experience of a young woman who resigned because her salary could no longer cover her transportation expenses. He cited her account as an example of workers struggling to afford the costs associated with keeping their jobs.

"The pay no longer covers transport. Everything in Nigeria just keeps increasing in price. It feels like I'm working for the transportation providers," said the woman, as quoted by Atiku.

Atiku said his proposed Economic Recovery Plan would seek to make living costs more manageable through support linked to domestically refined fuel, greater local production, protections for minimum-wage earners, student assistance and reductions in government waste.

He argued that economic policy should help employment provide a sustainable standard of living while addressing young Nigerians' concerns about justice and government accountability.

"Young Nigerians deserve the truth about Lekki. They deserve a government that protects life, and an economy that gives work a chance to lead somewhere," said Atiku.

Atiku also maintained that Nigerians had the right to question the federal government over the unresolved shooting and the limited economic opportunities available to young people.