…Insists Live Ammunition Was Not Fired
By Gbenga Abulude (Politics and General Desk)
After much resistance to disclose names of soldiers that shot at #EndSARS protesters on October 20, the Nigerian Army has finally revealed names of the officers that stormed the Tollgate Plaza.
The Nigerian Army had submitted an affidavit to the Lagos State Judicial Panel on police brutality set up by the state government to probe the shooting of #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki tollgate on the night of October 20.
Brigadier General Ibrahim Taiwo, representing the army authorities was summoned and in his statement before the panel, he confirmed that Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu requested the intervention of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai to bring peace to the state which had erupted in violence in different parts.
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According to the affidavit, Lieutenant Colonel Salisu Ovada Bello, the Commander of the 65 Battalion was at the Lekki Tollgate and had fired blank bullets into the air in order to disperse the protesters. The commander explained that no one had died, adding that only two people fainted.
The affidavit also explained that Brigadier General Francis Omata, who was also at the Lekki tollgate, confirmed that there were no fatalities. Omata noted that live ammunition was not used.
Meanwhile, the panel failed to sit on Saturday after members of the panel could not form a quorum.
Chairman of the panel and retired Chief Judge of Lagos, Justice Doris Okuwobi said the youth representatives did not show up for the sitting.
Their absence may not be unconnected to the freezing of the accounts of 20 individuals and a public affairs company linked to the #EndSARS protests in which one of them, Bolatito Odulala (Rinu), a member of the panel is said to have been affected.
This development comes a day after a Federal High Court in Abuja granted the request of the Central Bank of Nigeria to freeze the said accounts as filed by the apex bank on October 20.
Read also: #EndSARS: 5 Bullet Shells Found At Lekki Tollgate During Visit By Lagos Judicial Panel
The court order directed the affected banks to freeze all transactions on the accounts for a period of 90 days pending the outcome of an investigation currently being conducted by the CBN.
Recall that the Nigerian Army had initially denied that they were at the Lekki Tollgate plaza and fired shots at the #EndSARS protesters.
In a shifting narrative, the Nigerian Army later said that they were at the Lekki Tollgate at the request of the Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
