Lekki shootings: Four generals to testify before Lagos #EndSARS panel

Ilesanmi AdekanbiNovember 14, 2020

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Three Brigadier Generals and one Lieutenant Colonel will today (Saturday) testify before the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry probing the shooting of #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki tollgate by soldiers on the night of Tuesday, October 20.

Recall that the retired Justice Doris Okuwobi-led had suspended its sitting following the absence of a youth member of the panel, Oluwarinu Rachael Oduala.

Oduala and other youth member representatives boycotted the sitting in reaction to a request by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) seeking to freeze accounts of 19 Nigerians and a public affairs company linked to the End SARS protests.

The CBN request was granted by a Federal High Court in Abuja. The request which was filed before the court on October 20 was granted by Justice Ahmed Mohammed.

The Investigative panel has fixed today, Saturday, for the Nigerian Army to return to give its testimony after they failed to testify last week.

Newsflash247 reports that the Nigeria Army had last week filed papers at the panel ahead of their appearance before the panel.

The Nigerian Army has listed three Brigadier Generals and one Lieutenant Colonel, who will testify before the panel.

The papers filed by the Army revealed that it was bringing before the judicial panel expended and unexpended blank ammunition, which was used to disperse the crowd by firing into the air on 20th day of October, 2020.

The army has also submitted 13 flash drives containing the recorded videos of the soldiers’ involvement in the incident.

The top military officers, whose statements on oath have already been submitted to the panel, are the Commander of 81 Military Intelligence Brigade, Victoria Island, Lagos, Brig. Gen. Ahmed Taiwo; Chief of Staff, 81 Division, Nigerian Army, VI, Lagos, Brig. Gen. Nsikak Edet; Commander, 81 Division Garrison, VI, Brig. Gen. Francis Omata; Commander, 9 Brigade, Ikeja, Brig. Gen. Musa Etsu-Ndagi; and Commanding Officer, 65 Battalion, Bonny Camp, VI, Lt. Col. Salisu Bello.

The military said it is bringing before the panel “expended blank ammunition, which was used to disperse the crowd by firing into the air on 20th day of October, 2020; unexpended 7.62mm ammunition ( a detailed explanation of the use of this ammunition will be given at the hearing); an expended live ammunition.

“Also an unexpended live ammunition (a detailed explanation of these ammunition will be given at the hearing); 13 flash drives containing the recorded videos of the Army involvement in the incident and news report from the British Broadcasting Corporation on the incident and other stations.”