The order to kill unarmed protesters at Lekki toll gate was given by President Muhammadu Buhari, according to a former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timi Frank.

Frank made the statement while commenting on Buhari’s speech yesterday.

He described the speech as an insult upon the injuries inflicted on Nigerians.

The president’s Thursday night address to the nation has been roundly criticized.

In a statement on Friday, Frank accused the President of gross insensitivity.

He said Buhari failed to acknowledge the shooting of Nigerians by soldiers at the Lekki toll gate in Lagos.

The attack sparked global outrage. Nigerians and the international community have called for probe.

Frank said: “Buhari as the Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces is in charge of the Nigerian Army, therefore, cannot deny giving the order to deploy soldiers to the toll gate who rained bullets that massacred the #EndSARS protesters.

“It is evident, I dare say, that Buhari deliberately omitted to condemn the ignoble act and order investigation into the massacre of unarmed and peaceful #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate on Tuesday night because he is complicit in deploying lethal force for the infamous military operation.

“It is unthinkable that after such a horrendous rain of bullets on unarmed protesters, the President still could not empathize with the wounded nor sympathize with those who lost their loved ones.”

Frank called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to take strong action against the country’s leader, the Governor of Lagos State and the Nigerian Army.

He said that rather than being conciliatory, Buhari’s speech was filled with military rhetoric even as an elected President.

“Clearly, there is nothing to cheer in a speech that belittled and attempted to hide a tragedy of mowing down innocent youths who were out exercising their fundamental human rights and voicing their frustrations through peaceful assembly and demonstrations.

“Besides, the speech was laced with threats and condescendingly vexatious. I dare say that Buhari’s speech poses more threat to national security than the peaceful protests they forcefully dispersed with high calibre military arms and ammunition.”

He lamented that the President was more concerned about increasing salary of policemen and other armed security agencies while neglecting to talk about compensation for youths shot at Lekki.

“Buhari’s speech is a monumental insult and mockery on Nigerians. No sympathy for the wounded and bereaved. Rather, he threatened Nigerians. His statement was mechanical, disjointed and unpresidential. Nigerians deserve better! What a shame!”