TWO top army officers who testified before the panel have said the military displayed professionalism in handling the incident that happened at the Lekki tollgate on October, 20.
The two senior military men are the Commander of 81 Military Intelligence Brigade, Victoria Island, Lagos, Brig Gen Ahmed Taiwo; the Chief of Staff, 81 Division, Nigerian Army, VI, Lagos, Brig Gen Nsikak Edet; Commander, 81 Division Garrison, VI, Brig Gen Francis Omata.
Speaking before the judicial panel of inquiry yesterday the top officers denied the claim that soldiers killed some of the #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki tollgate.
Omata said that the #EndSARS had turned violent by the time they arrived at the scene of the protest on October, 20 as the protesters had been infiltrated by hoodlums.
He said they met a rowdy situation created by a hostile crowd and the crowd resorted to pelting his men with stones and bottles.
Omata, however, noted that in the face of the provocation the soldiers deployed to the Lekki tollgate refused to lose their cool as they only fired blank ammunition into the air to disperse the crowd.
Omata said, “On arrival at the tollgate at about 7.30pm, I met a rowdy situation. I also met the Commanding Officer, 65 Battalion (Bello), who briefed me on the situation. He briefed me that he met a hostile crowd, hoodlums mixed with the protesters, who were chanting and throwing stones at them. I was able to disperse the crowd by firing blank ammunition into the air.
“At this point, stones and sticks were being thrown at us. Then I moved to a safe area and briefed General Officer Commanding 81 Division, Maj Gen Godwin Ahamefuna Umelo by phone.
“The General Officer Commanding directed me to pacify the hostile crowd and move the troops back to base. However, the crowd still continued chanting #EndSARS. I then instructed the troops to withdraw to base.”