ARMY WOULD APPEAR BEFORE THE PANEL ON THE DIRECTIVE OF LAGOS GOVERNMENT~~ARMY SPOKESPERSON

The Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry probing the shooting of #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate area of the city on the night of October 20, 2020 had summoned personnel of the Nigerian Army to appear before it.

But the army, according to Sunday PUNCH, has expressed unwillingness not to honour any summons or invitation by the panel except it was from the state government.

But when Sunday PUNCH reached out to the Nigerian Army over the invitation sent to it by the panel on the need for it to state its story regarding the incident, the Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations and 81 Division’s spokesperson, Major Osoba Olaniyi, said it was not the duty of the judicial panel to invite the army to answer questions regarding the reported shooting of unarmed protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate.

Olaniyi stressed that the army intervened in the Lekki incident based on a request from the Lagos State Government and that it would only appear before the panel based on the same directive from the state government.

He said, “If we receive a letter from the state, we will go. Are we not under civil authorities? Are we not part of Nigerians? Have you forgotten that we did not go there (Lekki Toll Gate) on our own?

“It is not the duty of the members of the panel to tell us that. If the state wants the (81) Division to come, they will write and we will oblige. See, if they have written to the division, it is our duty to go. It is not for them to go through the media as if we are scared of coming.”

The army had come under heavy criticism over how its personnel, while enforcing the curfew imposed by the state government, shot peaceful protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate on October 20, 2020, killing some and leaving others with varying degrees of injury.

The army authorities in a tweet on October 21, initially denied that its personnel were at the scene of the shootings, describing it as ‘fake news’.

But following evidence and pressure from different individuals and groups, the army later admitted that its personnel were at the scene but were invited by the state government.

This contrasted the earlier submission of the state governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who on the morning of October 21 blamed the shootings on “forces beyond our direct control”.

The army denied shooting the protesters while the governor also said no one was killed in the exercise, but available information showed that people were killed.

Amnesty International also said it had evidence that no fewer than 12 protesters were killed at the Lekki Toll Gate and Alausa areas of the state.

source: SAHARAREPORTERS

 

#LEKKIMASSACRE : DON'T COVER UP KILLING OF PEACEFUL PROTESTERS @ LEKKI TOLL GATE~~AMNESTY I?TERNATIONAL

Amnesty International, has asked the Nigerian authorities to stop trying to cover up the killing of peaceful protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate area of Lagos on October 20.

AI in a series of tweets on Wednesday said many questions remained unanswered and government's position has continued to change regarding the incident.

The tweets reads, “The Nigerian authorities’ must end their attempts to cover up the Lekki Toll Gate massacre, Amnesty International said, as it released a new timeline investigating the atrocity one week later. #LekkiTollGateShooting

Amnesty International Nigeria @AmnestyNigeria "Nigerian authorities still have many questions to answer: who ordered the use of lethal force on peaceful protesters? Why were CCTV cameras on the scene dismantled in advance? And who ordered electricity turned off minutes before the military opened fire on protesters?

"The initial denials of the involvement of soldiers in the shooting was followed by the shameful denial of the loss of lives as a result of the military’s attack against the protests. #LekkiTollGateShooting"

"Many people are still missing since the day of the incident, and credible evidence shows that the military prevented ambulances from reaching the severely injured in the aftermath. #LekkiTollGateShooting"

Amnesty International, has asked the Nigerian authorities to stop trying to cover up the killing of peaceful protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate area of Lagos on October 20.

AI in a series of tweets on Wednesday said many questions remained unanswered and government's position has continued to change regarding the incident.

The tweets reads, “The Nigerian authorities’ must end their attempts to cover up the Lekki Toll Gate massacre, Amnesty International said, as it released a new timeline investigating the atrocity one week later. #LekkiTollGateShooting

Amnesty International Nigeria @AmnestyNigeria "Nigerian authorities still have many questions to answer: who ordered the use of lethal force on peaceful protesters? Why were CCTV cameras on the scene dismantled in advance? And who ordered electricity turned off minutes before the military opened fire on protesters?

"The initial denials of the involvement of soldiers in the shooting was followed by the shameful denial of the loss of lives as a result of the military’s attack against the protests. #LekkiTollGateShooting"

"Many people are still missing since the day of the incident, and credible evidence shows that the military prevented ambulances from reaching the severely injured in the aftermath. #LekkiTollGateShooting"

 

LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT SUMMONED US TO THE SCENE OF PROTEST @ LEKKI TOLL GATE

The Nigerian Army,  after initial denial , has finally revealed that it was summoned to the scene of protest at Lekki Toll Gate by the Lagos State Government.

The soldiers, who were deployed from 65 Battalion, Bonny Camp, Victoria Island, Lagos, told some victims’ relatives after dumping some of the injured and dead at MRS Hospital that they were sent by Governor Sanwo-Olu, the report revealed.

Confirming the report of being summoned to engage the protesters by the state government, Acting Director, Army Public Relations, 81 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major Osoba Olaniyi, said the state government called in the military.

He said, “The decision to call in the military was taken by the Lagos State Government after a 24- hour curfew was imposed

“This was as a result of the violence which led to several police stations being burnt, policemen killed, suspects in police custody released and weapons carted away.

“The situation was fast degenerating into anarchy. It was at this point that LASG requested for the military to intervene in order to restore normalcy.”

He, however, insisted that the army did not open fire on the protesters despite initial admittance by the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, who claimed troops were at Lekki to “ensure compliance with the curfew imposed by legitimate civil authorities in Lagos and other states”.

Olaniyi, who branded as untrue and unfounded the shooting of protesters at Lekki, also claimed that the news of the shooting was aimed at discrediting the Nigerian Army.

He said, “At no time did soldiers of the Nigerian Army open fire on any civilian. From the onset of the ENDSARS protest, there was no time personnel of 81 Division Nigerian Army Lagos were involved.

“The intervention of the military followed all laid down procedures for internal security operations and all the soldiers involved acted within the confines of the rules of engagement for internal security operations.

“Finally, Headquarters 81 Division Nigerian Army reiterates Nigerian Army in the discharge of its constitutional responsibilities did not shoot at any civilian as there is glaring and convincing evidence to attest to this fact.

“This allegation is the hand work of mischief makers who will stop at nothing to tarnish the image of the Nigerian Army. The general public is hereby enjoined to discountenance this allegation as there is no iota of truth therein.”

 

SOLDIER WHO RECORDED A VIDEO BEGGING COLLEAGUES NOT TO SHOOT #EndSARS PROTESTERS ARRESTED BY ARMY

The Nigerian Army says it has arrested one of their own who recorded a video begging his colleagues not to shoot at #EndSARS protesters.The Nigerian Army described him as a “hooded soldier”.

 

The soldier now identified as Lance Corporal Harrison Friday, wore a hood in a video he made in which he begged his colleagues not to shoot at end SARS protesters even if they were sent to do so.

 

In a post shared on its Twitter handle this morning October 21, the Nigerian Army says Harrison carried out 'cybercrime' and that he has now been arrested.