The Nigerian Government has continued to deny that it shot into the crowd of peaceful #EndSARS protesters even as evidence continues to mount. In a broadcast, the international media house, Cable News Network (CNN) showed footages and evidence that the Nigerian Army left from a military base in Bonny camp, Lagos and drove trucks to the venue of the peaceful protest in Lekki, Lagos, a less than 15 minutes drive. The videos broadcast by CNN showed soldiers shooting into the crowd of peaceful protesters. Cries of desperation and surprise rang into the air from the footages that were broadcast. Bullet cartridges marked with production dates and source were found in the vicinity of the shootings.
However, the Army has continued to garnish its account of events of the October 20 shooting of #EndSARS protesters. From denying that they were ever at the location of the shooting to stating that they were there but only fired blank bullets into the air, and even that it was armed hoodlums that fired the bullets, the story continued to expand. Brigadier General Ahmed Ibrahim Taiwo of the 81 Division Intelligence of the Nigerian Army, speaking before the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Enquiry on police brutality and the #EndSARS protests, defended the Lagos State government’s decision to involve the Army in the #EndSARS protest on the basis that the protest had plunged into anarchy.
Recordings from the closed-circuit television (CCTV) at the tollgate, operated by the Lekki Concession Company (LCC) also appear to poke holes in the Nigerian Army’s account of the events. The recordings which were tendered before the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Enquiry on police brutality and the #EndSARS protests, show that live bullets were used on peaceful protesters.
Nigeria’s Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed ‘petitioned’ CNN to complain about the report it released on the incident and threatened to take action against it. CNN has however, stated that it stands by its story. According to CNN, its attempts to interview Nigerian government officials ahead of its initial broadcast were unsuccessful. CNN has followed up its story with further broadcast evidences reiterating that the Nigerian military shot into a crowd of #EndSARS protesters.