Lekki Shooting: We fired blank ammunition, army tells Lagos panel

The 65 Battalion of the Nigerian Army, the formation said to have been involved in the October 20 Lekki shooting, has said soldiers only fired blank ammunitions at protesters.

In a petition submitted to the Judicial Panel of Inquiry set up by the Lagos State Government, the army insisted that no one was shot dead as soldiers only fired blank ammunition at the protesters.

Despite evidence of people being killed and injured at the Lekki incident, the army representatives said they did not fire at the protesters.

In the copy of the petition obtained by PUNCH, the Commander, 9 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Musa Etsu-Ndagi, said he was informed about the shooting by the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, around 7.23 p.m. on October 20.

The army officer said the governor informed him that a certain “Lt Col Bello, the Commanding Officer, 65 Battalion, Bonny Camp, Victoria Island” was reportedly shooting at the Lekki tollgate where #EndSARS protesters were gathered.

Mr Etsu-Ndagi, a Brigadier General, one of the four army witnesses, said Mr Bello told him that he only fired blank ammunition into the air.

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