… As Army launches probe
* Judicial panel receives video footage
The Nigeria Army has launched a formal investigation into the October 20 shooting of EndSARS protesters at the Lekki toll gate in Lagos, even as the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami said the atrocity was most likely the handiwork of hoodlums.
The Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Magashi, gave hint of the investigation at a news conference in Abuja.
He declined to give details, but said the outcome would be made public.
However, the AGF said investigation is underway to ascertain what truly happened at the Lekki tollgate.
Malami said it is “pre-emptive” to conclude that there had even been shootings, adding that “hoodlums” may have been hired to create a scene.
“You cannot rule out the possibility of perhaps hoodlums that set in to create a scene… could equally partake in the process,” the AGF said.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the Lekki Concession Company (LCC), operators of the Lekki tollgate, submitted video footage recorded by its surveillance camera on the night of October 20, 2020, when the EndSARS protesters at the Lekki tollgate were shot at.
The Managing Director of LCC, Abayomi Omomuwa, submitted a hard drive containing the footage on Tuesday.
Omomuwa’s submission was made to the Judicial Panel of Inquiry set up by the Lagos State Government to probe the Lekki shootings, as well as complaints of human rights abuses against members of the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
“I can confirm that inside here is the video footage that our surveillance camera was able to record for the 20th of October,” Omomuwa said.
According to Anakle CEO, Editi Effiong, who is at the hearing, “LCC is being led in testimony by a member of the LASG legal team. A hard drive has been admitted in evidence as containing the footage from the toll gate.
“LCC is also tendering press releases in which they denied the company was bribing in police to disrupt the protests.”