The Nigerian Army, through the Acting Deputy Director 81 Division Public Relations, Major Osoba Olaniyi, said on Tuesday that the Military’s involvement in the #EndSARS protests was only to quell the violence which erupted two weeks into the protest.
According to Olaniyi, prior to the violence, no personnel of the 81 Division Nigerian Army, Lagos, was involved in the protests.
He described the allegation that personnel of the Nigerian Army shot at the protesters at Lekki Toll Gate as “untrue, unfounded and aimed at causing anarchy in the country.”
In a statement on Tuesday, Olaniyi, stated that the decision to invite the Military was taken by the Lagos State Government after a 24 hours curfew was imposed on the state.
He maintained that the intervention of the Military followed all laid down procedures for Internal Security operations and all the soldiers involved acted within the confines of the Rules of Engagement (ROE) for Internal Security operations.
Read below the full text of the statement:
ALLEGED MASSACRE OF PROTESTERS AT LEKKI TOLL PLAZA
The attention of Headquarters 81 Division Nigerian Army has been drawn to a viral video on social media in which it was alleged that civilian protesters were massacred by soldiers at Lekki Toll Plaza. This allegation is untrue, unfounded and aimed at causing anarchy in the country. At no time did soldiers of the Nigerian Army open fire on any civilian.
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From the onset of the ENDSARS protest, there was no time personnel of 81 Division Nigerian Army Lagos were involved. However, the decision to call in the military was taken by the Lagos State Government (LASG) after
a 24 hours curfew was imposed.
This was as a result of the violence which led to several police stations being burnt, policemen killed, suspects in police custody released and weapons carted away. The situation was fast degenerating into anarchy. It was at this point that LASG requested for the military to intervene in order to restore normalcy. The intervention of
the military followed all laid down procedures for Internal Security operations and all the soldiers involved acted within the confines of the Rules of Engagement (ROE) for Internal Security operations.
Finally, Headquarters 81 Division Nigerian Army reiterates Nigerian Army in the discharge of its constitutional responsibilities did not shoot at any civilian as there are glaring and convincing evidence to attest to this fact. This allegation is the hand work of mischief makers who will stop at nothing to tarnish the image of the Nigerian Army. The general public is hereby enjoined to discountenance this allegation as there is no iota of truth therein.
OSOBA OLANIYI
Major
Acting Deputy Director
81 Division Army Public Relations