Endsars Lekki shooting: Wetin don happun so far for Lagos judicial panel

Lekki toll gate

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Members of di panel of inquiry visit di Lekki toll gate as part of dia investigations

Di shooting for Nigeria during di protest last month against police brutality for Lekki toll gate wey be commercial hub for Lagos, don lead to condemnation across di world.

But beyond di fact say gunshots were fired, little agreement dey between di protesters and di security forces over wetin exactly happun dat night.

Hope bin dey say di judicial inquiry set up to look into di events for Lekki as well as di wider issue of police brutality go bring some clarity. But dat no be di koko of wetin don happun so far.

Our correspondents don dey Lagos panel and dis na wetin don happun so far:

Who ask di army to go di toll gate?

Di presence of di army for di toll gate during peaceful protest don attract many criticism but e still no dey clear who give di order.

Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu declare curfew on 20 October to contain di violence wey bin don brake out in some parts of di state during protests against di Special Armed Robbert Squad (Sars).

Lekki toll gate

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Di Lekki toll gate now dey free for vehicles to pass through

Few hours after e announce di curfew, di soldiers arrive Lekki toll gate wia #EndSars protesters don camp for days. In response to di presence of di military, Mr Sanwo-Olu tell local station Arise TV on 22 October say e no get di authority to ask for military presence for di protest venue.

Di army, however, tell di panel on 14 November say dem bin dey di toll gate on di invitation of Mr Sanwo-Olu. Brig-Gen Ahmed Taiwo say di governor bin ask for military intervention because di police hand bin full.

For another panel sitting on 21 November, di army representative say their mission no be to clear di protest but to “ensure normalcy for di Eti-Osa corridor [di area around di toll gate]”. Di governor never respond to di military.

Army use live ammunition?

Allegations don dey say di army and police shoot protesters and other people nearby. Amnesty International say 12 pipo die.

For di beginning of di panel sitting, di army deny say dem kill anyone and insist say soldiers for di toll gate fire blank rounds at protesters.

DJ Switch

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DJ Switch wey live stream di shooting by di army for Lekki toll gate don run comot from Nigeria

On 21 November, Brig-Gen Taiwo tell di panel say military men bin dey armed with live and blank bullets because of “hoodlums” wey don infiltrate di protest and seek to take advantage of di situation.

During cross-examination, di army representative say hoodlums bin throw stones at soldiers on patrol around Oriental Hotel, just before di toll gate; leading to one soldier sustaining injuries.

“Dem bin stone us just before Oriental Hotel, dem fire blank ammunition in response. One officer wound; dem stone am for e lips. If dem attack us with stones, di only option na gunshots [blank rounds].”

Wetin BBC report say?

For various panel sittings and inside press statement, di army present one BBC report of di Lekki shooting to corroborate dia position say dem fire into di air and not at protesters.

BBC Pidgin reporter Damilola Banjo for her report, only describe wetin she witness at di protest ground wia she bin dey report live. Banjo, who comot for di scene about 25 minutes after di soldiers arrive, say:

“Before we comot di scene, dem [military] bin dey shoot into di air and while we bin dey try to find safe cover, I see one young man wey look like say e dey struggle for breath.

“I think wetin fit don cause dis situation fit be di sudden shock of di sporadic shooting from di military and of course di environment bin dey tense.

“Di shooting continue for about 20 minutes and we lie on our chests come move away from di crowd because of di high risk of stampede. My editor approach one of di soldiers to identify us as journalists before dem allow us pass safely. We only fit do that after about 20- 25 minutes of continuous shooting.”

Who switch off di CCTV?

Another controversy wey surround di Lekki shooting na di absence of surveillance cameras on di night of di incident.

Speaking at di panel, di Managing Director of di Lekki Concession Company wey dey manage di toll plaza, Abayomi Omomuwasan, say network problems cause di camera to stop working at 20:00.

There were violent clashes at an End Sars demonstration and protestors claim the army opened fire ‘to kill’.
The British Broadcasting Corporation

Responding to allegations say di company deliberately switch off di lights for di protest ground, Mr Omomuwasan state say due to di curfew wey di state government impose, LCC withdraw dia staff and dis prevent dem from switching on di generator backup wen di main power supply go off.

How many pipo die?

Responding to allegations say many pipo die from gunshots for di toll gate and surrounding areas by di military, Governor Sanwo-Olu tell CNN say two dead bodies bin dey mortuary and call for citizens with evidence of deaths or relatives of di alleged deceased to come forward.

However, di Nigerian army don deny say dem kill anyone for di toll gate. Brig-Gen Taiwo tell di panel say one pesin die from force trauma for Admiralty Road (3km; 2 miles from Lekki) while di police bing another dead pesin from di Yaba area of Lagos.

How long di panel go sit?

Retired judge, Doris Okuwobi na im dey lead di panel, and e include members from civil society groups, di Human Rights Commission, Citizens Mediation Centre and two youth representatives.

Youth activist, Rinu

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One of di youth representatives on di judicial panel na Oluwarinu Odulala wey bin be popular figure during di protests

Di Lagos judicial panel don receive over 110 petitions and dey expected to hear all complainants with their legal representatives and witnesses present.

Di eight-member panel wey commence dia sitting on 27 October go sit for six months to investigate claims of police brutality with di aim to bring erring officers to justice and recommend compensations for victims.