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#EndSARS: Army denies shooting protesters at Lekki Tollgate
By Emmanuel Awosika
The Nigerian army has declared allegations that its men shot at peaceful #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki Tollgate in Lagos as lies aimed at causing anarchy in the country.
Lagos Street Journal earlier reported that men of the Nigerian army allegedly opened fire on protesters at the Lekki Tollgate in enforcement of a curfew declared by the State government after hoodlums hijacked the protests and destroyed public and private properties.
However, the Army, after denying that its men were on the scene, said none of the soldiers present had shot at protesters.
This comes even as several videos showing men clad in military fatigues shooting at unarmed protesters in the area.
The Army revealed that it had intervened on the request of the Lagos State Government which asked for help in restoring normalcy following the violence of the #EndSARS protests.
The statement reads: “However , the decision to call in the Military was taken by the Lagos State Government after a 24-hour curfew was imposed.
“This was as a result of the violence which led to several police stations being burnt, policemen killed, suspects in police custody released and weapons carted away.
”The situation was fast degenerating into anarchy. It was at this point that Lagos State Government requested for the Military to intervene, in order to restore normalcy .
“The intervention of the Military followed all laid down procedures for internal security operations. And all the soldiers involved acted within the confines of the Rules of Engagement , ROE for internal security operations.
“Finally, headquarters 81 Division Nigerian Army reiterates that the Nigerian Army in the discharge of its constitutional responsibilities did not shoot at any civilian as there are glaring and convincing evidence to attest to this fact.
“This allegation is the handwork of mischief makers who will stop at nothing to tarnish the image of the Nigerian Army.
”The general public is hereby enjoined to discountenance this allegation , as there is no iota of truth therein”.
