EMERGING FACTS ABOUT LEKKI TOLL SHOOTING
The Nigerian army finally admitted his presence at the Lekki toll plaza on the night of the shooting at peaceful protesters. After initially denying been present at the scene in the first place,
The Nigerian army finally admitted his presence at the Lekki toll plaza on the night of the shooting at peaceful protesters. After initially denying been present at the scene in the first place, the army said its officers were simply ensuring compliance with the curfew put in place in Lagos state government.
The 81 Division of the Nigerian Army, Lagos, has explained that its troops were invited to enforce the curfew imposed on the state by the Lagos State Government. It said the troops were requested to restore law and order 24 hours after the curfew was declared. The army, however, insisted that the soldiers did not shoot at the #EndSARS protesters, adding that the personnel acted within “the confines of the Rules of Engagement for Internal Security operations for Curfew compliance.
In a statement credited to the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Sagir Musa, said some people were trying to discredit the military and Nigerian Government. Although, Musa did not make direct reference to tuesday killings at Lekki toll gate. But he mentioned how both local and international detractors have mischievously and deliberately misrepresented troops’ efforts to ensure compliance with the curfew imposed by legitimate civil authorities in Lagos.
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He said the agitators are falsely accusing the NIgerian army of being responsible for the activities of the miscreants despite glaring evidence to the contrary. ”He also decried that the detractors are threatening to report the Nigerian Army to the International Criminal Court ot justice and also seek to impose a visa ban on them from foreign countries.
But our observation is that as at when they started shooting at the protesters, curfew time had been moved from 5pm to 9pm. But the began the shooting before 9. And even if the protesters didn't obey the curfew, how did the army have any business being at the toll gate plaza to enforce curfew compliance when insurgencies and Boko Haram are ruining the country in far north. Its difficult to understand how death is the consequence for civil disobedience.
