Lekki shootings: Nigerian Army submits affidavit to Lagos panel
- An affidavit has been submitted by the Nigerian Army to the Lagos state judicial panel
- The Army admitted that some of its officers were at the scene of the Lekki tollgate shooting, but only fired blanks into the air
- According to the affidavit, there were no fatalities and only two people fainted during the shooting
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As the Lagos state judicial panel on the police brutality continues its investigation, the Nigerian Army has submitted an affidavit.
The Lagos government set up the panel to probe the shooting of EndSARS protesters at the Lekki tollgate on the night of October 20.
The Army had earlier stated that it would not appear before the panel, arguing it was not the panel’s duty to invite it. However, it made a u-turn and agreed to honour the invitation.
Channels TV reports that Brigadier General Ibrahim Taiwo, representing the army authorities, confirmed the governor of Lagos state, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, requested for the help of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, in curbing violence in some parts of the state due to EndSARS protests.
Source: Twitter
In the affidavit, it was disclosed that Lieutenant Colonel Salisu Ovada Bello, the commander of the 65 Battalion was at the Lekki tollgate but he was reported to have only fired blank bullets into the air to disperse the protesters.
No one died and only two people fainted, according to the commander.
The affidavit submitted to the panel also explained that another officer Brigadier General Francis Omata, who was also at the Lekki tollgate, confirmed that there were no fatalities.
According to Omata noted, live ammunition was not used.
Sitting stalled as youth reps fail to show up
Meanwhile, the panel could not sit on Saturday, November 7, as the youth representatives boycotted the meeting.
Their failure to show up may be due to protests against the freezing of the accounts of the #ENDSARS promoters by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Rinu Odulala, one of the youth representatives, was among the 19 people whose account was affected.
Nigerians have strongly condemned this move by the CBN and are threatening to take to the streets again.
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In her reaction, Oby Ezekwesili, a former education minister and ex-vice president of the World Bank's Africa region wrote on Twitter:
"What manner of contradiction is this, @MBuhari? You have young people on your mandated state panels of enquiry on #EndSARS whose personal accounts your lackey at the @cenbank has gone on to freeze. Does this make any sense?"
EndSARS: Nigeria has not had any reasonable leader since 1999 - Protesters | Legit TV
Source: Legit.ng
