#EndSARS: 10 Killed At Lekki Tollgate Shootings – Witness Tells Panel
Standing before the Lagos panel investigating police abuses is a woman who said that she believes at least 10 people were killed at the Lekki tollgate last October during the EndSARS protest instigated against police brutality.
One of the protesters, Sarah Ibrahim testified before the panel on Saturday that she witnessed the shooting by soldiers at the Lekki tollgate and further confirmed that at least 10 persons were killed during the October 20 incident.
Recall that PREMIUM TIMES had reported the shooting of protesters at the site despite the initial denial by the Nigeria Army. Though, the exact number of casualties from the incident Is yet to be verified but however, hospitals in the area also confirmed treating victims with gunshot wounds following the incident.
Ms Ibrahim, who said she was present at the protest site and can confirm that among those shot was an elderly man who came from Ikorodu.
The witness, was present at the panel with several videos and pictures as evidence to affirm her initial stance. She further revealed that the Lekki tollgate was chosen as a protest ground because of the CCTV coverage and uninterrupted power supply.
Following this, she said the Lekki Concession Company (LCC), allegedly acting on higher authority deliberately disabled the CCTV camera and switched off the light including the billboard light in the area.
The LCC while testifying before the panel said it did not do that with the intention to sabotage the protest.
The presiding judge admitted the 95 pieces of premises presented by Ms Ibrahim and marked them ‘exhibit A’.
She also added that the protesters identified about three drones in the area during the demonstrations which revealed that there were two cameras at the Sandfill ares that the soldt emerged from.
She had earlier explained that her friend, “a member of APC (All Progressives Congress)” in the Lagos House of Assembly, had called to warn her to stay off the protest ground on October 20.
She quoted her friend as saying that “what they are planning at the tollgate today, my heart cannot take it.”
“I saw people running towards the stage truck, I didn’t know what was happening, …and I told the person with the mic that they are coming, I never imagined the Nigerian Army would shoot that way at people…while the gunshot was happening more people came from the shanties, and they started singing (the National Anthem) and waving the Nigerian flag.”
She alleged that a man who was identified by some residents as the DPO of Mariko Police Stattion shot one of the protest at
“close range.”
