#LekkiMassacre: Nigerian soldiers arrived in seven military trucks, CCTV shows

Security camera recordings were admitted in October 20 deadly military attack on #EndSARS protesters.

News Agency of Nigeria • November 21, 2020

A photo of Nigerian soldiers in a trucks used to illustrate this story (Credit: Sahara Reporters)

Fresh details of the Lekki Toll Plaza shooting of October 20 are being uncovered as a CCTV footage of the day’s incident before the Lagos #EndSARS panel revealed that at least seven military trucks were deployed to the venue that day.

The footage was played on Saturday prior to the cross-examination of Brig.-Gen. Ahmed Taiwo, Commander of the 81 Division, Military Intelligence Brigade, Victoria Island.

The footage was played before a packed audience at the panel, and the timestamp in the video showed people running from the vicinity of Oriental Hotel towards the direction of the tollgate in the Lekki area at 6:43p.m

At 6:45p.m, the military arrived and at least seven trucks are seen in the footage.

At 6:53p.m, lights appeared to have been turned off at the tollgate facility and the footage began playing in a blurry black and white video.

At 6:55 p.m, the military drove through the tollgate and at 6:57 p.m, flashes of gunfire could be seen in the footage.

At 7:09 p.m, the protesters appeared to be surrounded on all sides by the military vehicles which had flashing lights.

Earlier during proceedings, the Chairman of the panel, retired Justice Doris Okuwobi, had noted that during the hearing of November 6, 20-hours worth of footage presented by the Lekki Concession company (LCC) was given to Adeshina Ogunlana, the lawyer for the #EndSARS protesters.

Ms. Okuwobi noted that the lawyer had on that day informed the panel that he would sift through the footage and select the portions that would be relevant to his case.

Responding, Mr. Ogunlana told the panel that he had watched the footage and had noted the parts of the video that are of interest to him.

“LCC has furnished us with the footage and we have taken our time to reach out to the counsel of LCC and the Lagos State Government.

“We agreed that subject to their acceptance, all we watched is the same until 5pm and we should limit viewing from 5pm to 7:59p.m when the tape ended,” Mr. Ogunlana said.

The counsel for LASG, Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN) aligned his views with Ogunlana’s submission.

“The relevant portions of the footage which is from 5:00 p.m. to 7:59 p.m should be viewed,” he said.

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