The Nigerian Army has said it called the Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to express its displeasure over his denial that he did not ask the army to intervene in stabilizing a situation at the Lekki Toll Plaza occasioned by the #EndSARS protests.
The Army however suggested that the governor’s denial might have been a result of the crisis that ensued following the protests.
“I spoke personally with the governor and said the Nigerian Army was not happy about his denial that he did not ask the army to intervene when in actual fact it was the right thing to do,” Brigadier General Ahmed Taiwo, Commander 81 Division of the Nigerian Army told the Lagos Judicial Panel of Inquiry investigating the Lekki incidence on Saturday.
“He called the Chief of Army Staff and called the GOC 81 Division and asked for intervention because the police have been overrun. But I am sure that after we have watched everything, we saw that he had more than reasonable grounds to ask the army to intervene, perhaps it was the way everything went that made him say so,” he added.
Meanwhile, as Nigerians prepare for the festive season generally considered to run from late November to early January, the Brigadier General warned citizens of a rough yuletide stating that there is a high level of insecurity across the state.
“Troops managed to arrest robbers with weapons stolen from the police armory, now there is a high level of insecurity along the Jakande, Ajah, Badore, Sangotedo axis because these hoodlums made a deliberate attempt to get rid of the police in that area so they can operate freely.
“If we say no protest lasting more than three days is hijacked, then you can imagine a protest against the people meant to arrest the criminals, they will use it as an incentive to ensure they commit enough mayhem to get them off the street,” Taiwo said.
By Abel Ejikeme