Lekki Tollgate shooting: Who fit give Nigeria military order?

Security

BBC

Plenty questions wey neva get ansa still dey di mind of many piopo concerning di Lekki Tollgate shooting wey bin happen for Nigeria commercial capital Lagos, on October 20, 2020.

Armed soldiers bin fire live bullets and fire works at End SARS protesters wey gada for di toll gate side dat day.

Lagois state goment say at least 30 pipo injure and one pesin die.

But some eyewitnesses wey dey ground dat day don come out to deny dat figure.

One of di questions wey pipo dey also ask na say who order di army to di toll gate dat day?

Di question loud well-well afta di Nigerian Army 81 Division headquarters, wey base for Lagos come out with statement on Wednesday, 28, October 2020 wia dem say:

“However, di decision to call in di military to end di violence wey happun on dat fateful Tuesday na Lagos State Government decide dat one afta dem declare 24- hour curfew.”

Dis wan na as Lagos state Govnor Babajide Sanwo-Olu bin never open mouth to state clearly who send di army go toll gate dat day.

Pesin dey perform duering live concert for di Lekki Toll Gate Lagos, during End Sars protest on 15,October, 2020.

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Wetin constitution tok?

Di 1999 Nigeria Constitution as amended, give di govnors of di 36 states for di kontri power as di chief security officer of di state wit control over all security agencies – military, police, civil defence plus oda – wey base for im state.

E also give military power to render support to civil authority for matas of internal security.

One Nigeria constitution lawyer, Liborous Oshoma, say di state govnor no get dat kain power. Im say according to di Nigeria Constitution, e no possible to send military to intervene for civil unrest without collabo of di president plus two third majorities of members of di National Assembly.

Im say na only di army chief fit to give order to im men and na only command wey Oga president give im dey obey.”

“Na fact for dis kontri say, no govnor, fit command di commissioner of police without instruction from di Inspector General of Police, not to tok of a govnor to command or request di army to come assist dem witout corresponding acceptance of dat request from di chief or army staff,” oga Oshoma tok.

“For dis case wey police fit easily stop wit water canon and tear gas, for di Army to hide under tori say na govnor ask dem to assist, no go fit save dem becos dem follow process wey dey against di law,” di lawyer tok.

End Sars Lekki protesters

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But to what extent state govnor fit to order dis security agencies especially di army?

One Rtd Major General and one time Nigeria Ambassador, Godwin George Umo say, di extent wey govnor fit give order depend on di kain security palava wey dey ground, but even so, na only “di military fit give di military order.”

Im argue say, di tok say govnor fit give military order na just tok becos, “govnor no fit to control military for im state.

However, for di military to intervene for civilian mata for any state, di state govnor must to give di order, na so anoda retired Brigadier General wey no want make BBC Pidgin mention im name tok.

Im say, “for any state di state govnor na di chief security officer of di state, di president no fit go to any state to control wetin dey happun for dat state.” E add say, “Di president no get dat kain power.”

“Di problem be say wen tins dey happun pipo go dey point to di president, but di president no get anytin to do wit di states. Unless di govnor approach am to say im no fit to control wetin dey happun, den di president go give dat charge, in dat case, dat na wetin dem dey call state of emergency.”

But, throughout di End SARS protest plus all di katakata wey follow, no single state for Nigeria call for state of emergency.