#EndSARS: Nigerian Army to present ‘expended’ blank ammunition, others as Lagos panel resumes today

THE Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry probing the alleged shooting of #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki tollgate by soldiers on the night of October, 20, will resume today.

The resumption is taking place after a week of adjournment prompted by   the boycott of the sitting by the two youth panel members protesting against the freezing of the bank account of #EndSARS promoters by the Federal Government through the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The retired Justice Doris Okuwobi-led panel had adjourned on November 7 when its proceedings were stalled by the boycott of the two representatives of the protest on the panel.

The panel attributed the adjournment to its inability to form quorum due to the absence of the two members representing the youth.

The Nigerian Army, in the wake of the Lekki incident had claimed that its men were not responsible for the shooting as they did not go to the protest ground.

The military later owned up but added that the Lagos State government invited them to the protest ground to restore order, adding that they only fired blank ammunition.

The testimony of the Nigerian Army before the panel was disrupted by the adjournment announced a week ago.

The panel fixed today for the Nigerian Army to return to give its testimony.

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

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 and 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.”