Commander, 81 Division Garrison, VI, Brig Gen Francis Omata, has narrated his experience when he arrived at the Lekki Toll Gate, Lagos, on October 20, when the #ENDSARS protest turned bloody.
There are indications that live bullets were used on people, with several wounded, and at least a fatality confirmed by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos.
In the frenzy of rumours and contested reports sparked by the ‘carnage’, Omata’s name was thrown up as having led the soldiers.
But while the Nigerian Army has denied shooting the people, Omata has further said that it was he and his men that were attacked by the protesters while they only shot into the air.
In a report the military submitted to the panel set up by the Lagos State Government to ascertain the facts of the October 20 incidents, as quoted by ‘The Punch’, 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.”
Also confirming that there were shootings on the eventful night,
the Commander, 9 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Brig Gen Musa Etsu-Ndagi, representing the Nigerian Army on the Lagos State Security Council, said he received a phone call from Sanwo-Olu, around 7.23pm on October 20,2020 informing him that a certain Lt Col Bello was reportedly shooting at the LekkiToll Gate.
He, however, said that his findings showed that the protesters were not being shot at.
According to him, Bello said the protesters were, in fact, happy to see the soldiers at the tollgate, adding that he personally offered the protesters water and drinks while persuading them to go home and observe the 24-hour curfew declared by the Lagos State Government.
Bello is also quoted as saying, “On getting to the tollgate, I persuaded the crowd to go home and observe the 24-hours curfew declared by the state government. But surprisingly, the hoodlums continued throwing stones, bottles and other dangerous objects at us and were burning tyres. I again fired some blank ammunition upward to scare the hoodlums away. But some protesters who were still at the tollgate sitting down quietly were given water and drinks by me while pleading with them to go home.”
