The Nigerian Army on Friday filed its defence documents at the Registry of the Lagos State Panel of Judicial Inquiry probing the alleged shooting of #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki tollgate on the night of October 20.
The documents were filed ahead of its scheduled appearance before the panel on Saturday.
Among the documents filed by the Army are the witness statements of 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; Commander, 9 Brigade, Ikeja, Brig. Gen. Musa Etsu-Ndagi; and Commanding Officer, 65 Battalion, Bonny Camp, VI, Lt. Col. Salisu Bello.
It said it was also bringing before the 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.
But though the Army was listed as number one on the panel’s list for Saturday, it is not clear whether the session would hold as scheduled as the panel on Friday adjourned further hearing in the Lekki tollgate shooting till November 10.
The adjournment followed the inability of the panel to watch till the end on Friday the video footage of the incident submitted by the Lekki Concession Company, operator of the Lekki tollgate.
The panel was able to view only four hours of the 20-hour video footage.
#EndSARS protesters appear before Lagos panel, demand audience
Meanwhile, three of the #EndSARS protesters on Friday appeared before the panel, demanding, through their lawyer, Mr Adesina Ogunlana, to be granted an audience.
Ogunlana, on behalf of the protesters – Victoria Oniru, Dabira Ayuku and Perpetual Kamsiyuchukwu – said he intended to cross-examine the Managing Director of the Lekki Concession Company, operator of the Lekki tollgate, Abayomi Omowuwa, who started his testimony before the panel on Tuesday.
Though counsel for the Lagos State Government, Mr Jelili Owonikoko (SAN), and LCC lawyer, Mr Rotimi Seriki, earlier opposed Ogunlana’s appearance on the basis that “#EndSARS” is not an entity known to the law, they later withdrew their objection when Ogunlana called out his three clients.
“I am not representing spirits or ghosts. We’re here to tell the truth. These are part of the people running underground, being threatened,” Ogunlana said in response to the objection by Owonikoko and Seriki.
Owonikoko had described #EndSARS as a nebulous entity with no structure or leader, questioning where Ogunlana got his instruction to appear before the panel.
Seriki, on his part, had said since the LCC Managing Director was before the panel on a subpoena, “he cannot be cross-examined by every Tom, Dick and Harry.”
Following the withdrawal of an objection to Ogunlana’s appearing, Justice Okuwobi, in a ruling, admitted the protesters as a party and allowed their lawyer’s appearance.
Don’t embark on new protest, Lagos warns youths
The Lagos State Government on Friday warned the youths to shun any act that might threaten the peace of the state, which it said was battling to recover from the shock of the carnage unleashed by hoodlums who hid under the #EndSARS protests.
The state government, in a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, said there were hints of a new protest, saying that the police had warned that no protest would be tolerated.
The statement read, “Any protest under any guise will be disrespectful to the memory of those who died in the violence and unfair to ordinary Lagosians, who have remained peaceful, despite the hardship that the original protests sparked.
“It is clear that the original protests, despite their good intentions, have caused more havoc than they were planned to resolve.
“The government hereby appeals to our patriotic youths to shelve any plan for a protest and join the practical efforts to find a solution to the problems that have been thrown up by the actions taken in recent weeks.”
The state government enjoined parents and guardians to advise their children not to be used “as tools of destruction by enemies of our society.”
It said anybody who had any grievance against the disbanded SARS should approach the Judicial Panel of Inquiry and Restitution to make their case.
“Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu advises all Lagosians to remain calm and confident that the government will guard jealously the emblem of peace that Lagos is famous for. Any person or group of persons who plans to fuel any crisis in Lagos should drop such thoughts or be ready to face the law,” the statement added.
Copyright PUNCH.