Lagos state Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu during an interview on Arise TV early Thursday, said, no one removed the the CCTV cameras at the Lekki toll .
Shortly before the killings, eyewitness at the protest had shared images of security personnel removing what looked like the CCTV Cameras at the Toll gate.
The governor said, “The private company that run the Lekki tollgate concession switched off the lights and they reported that they did so because of the imposed curfew,” after Soldiers killed unaccounted scores, mostly young teens protesting against Police brutality in what has now being called the “Lekki toll massacre”.
He insisted that,”Nobody ordered the removal of cameras at the Lekki tollgate. The MD of LCC said because of the curfew, they made the decision to take out installations. The cameras you saw are not security or motion cameras, they are laser cameras for vehicles.”-
The Governor claimed that, “The security cameras are still available and we are using them for our security investigations”.
The Governor further added, “We need to come together, now more than ever. We need to re-engage ourselves and heal deep wounds we have created for ourselves.”
While acknowledging that security “forces got it wrong”, he had also in an earlier statement issued Wednesday, said that the directives to fire live ammunitions at the peaceful protest was carried out by forces beyond his control.
An on-the-ground investigation by Amnesty International has confirmed that the Nigerian army and police killed at least 12 peaceful protesters yesterday at two locations in Lagos. The killings took place in Lekki and Alausa, where thousands were protesting police brutality as part of the #EndSars movement.
“Opening fire on peaceful protesters is a blatant violation of people’s rights to life, dignity, freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. Soldiers clearly had one intention – to kill without consequences,” said Osai Ojigho, Country Director of Amnesty International Nigeria.
Thousands of Nigerians marhed across cities and the globe to demand an end to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, or SARS, a police unit accused of extrajudicial killings and abuses.
The government announced the unit had been disbanded, but many Nigerians are skeptical, as officials have promised an end to the unit and its alleged abuses before.
But, the Lagos Governor said the agitation “has gone beyond #EndSARS“.
“How did we get to a place where people are destroying our heritage…destroying brand new public transportation busses that are meant to make lives easier?” Governo Sanwo-Olu wondered during the breakfast show on Arise Television.
“The fire department and safety services tried to help but they met with with violence. They had to retreat for the safety of their own men.” – He continued.
“Once we see the streets are cleared up and all the agitation and high nerves have gone down, we might slow down the curfew by tomorrow or next tomorrow at the latest” – Governor of Lagos State, @JideSanwoOlu on lifting the state-wide curfew.
In the meantime, the Governor is yet to speak to President Muhammadu Buhari, the commander in chief of the armed forces who ordered the deployment and massacre of the protesters in Lekki.
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