Thread by @PulseNigeria247

A live thread of the proceedings of the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Saturday, November 21, 2020.

The Nigerian Army will continue its testimony today regarding the shooting of peaceful #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki toll gate on October 20.

Today's sitting commences at 10:30 am.

LCC's case to be treated first.

Footage of the night of October 20 to be played before continuation of Army's testimony.

Adesina Ogunlana for #EndSARS protesters just proposed that footage of the night of October 20 should be played to show events from 5 pm to 7:59 pm.

Other counsels agree.

We are now watching footage of the Lekki toll gate on October 20, 2020.

5:00 pm to 7:59 pm.

Observation from almost one hour of footage played: The LCC camera operates automatically and pans around the Lekki toll gate eight times, showing eight different angles in under 2 minutes and 30 seconds. This repeats over and over again.

Soldiers arrive the scene at 6:41 pm

At least a dozen soldiers move towards protesters at 6:45 pm

Observation: LCC camera starts moving manually around 6:49 pm.

LCC had said workers were not on-site.

Footage goes from coloured to white and black at 6:53 pm.

The LCC camera appears to be moving manually now after moving automatically before soldiers arrived.

Counsel for #EndSARS protesters, Adesina Ogunlana, says there's another angle of footage to watch around 6:51 pm of October 20 at the Lekki toll gate.

Footage will be played when panel returns from a short break.

Panel has resumed.

Ogunlana withdraws previous request to play a missing footage.

Says discrepancy notice previously raised was an error.

Cross-examination of Army rep, General A.I. Taiwo resumes.

He says the burning of numerous police stations before 2 pm on October 20 led the Army to believe the Nigeria Police Force had been overwhelmed, prompting soldiers to intervene to restore order.

General Taiwo just confirmed a great number of videos he used in his presentation to show the devastation in Lagos were sourced from the internet and open sources.

Says they were corroborated by Army operatives, but he could not supply details about some of them.

General Taiwo suggests Army never explicitly denied the deployment of soldiers to Lekki toll gate on October 20.

"The Nigerian Army was not aware of what had taken place."

General Taiwo says he's not on Twitter, so he doesn't know about the Nigerian Army's Twitter account (@HQNigerianArmy) that initially denied the deployment of soldiers to Lekki toll gate.

"I don't follow it. I will try and join Twitter maybe later in the day."

General Taiwo's testimony on why soldiers were deployed to the Lekki toll gate:

General Taiwo says police officers were gathered around Oriental Hotel when soldiers arrived at the Lekki toll gate on October 20.

General Taiwo says some of the soldiers at the Lekki toll gate had live ammunition, but did not shoot protesters.

Says the ones that shot only fired blanks.

General Taiwo insists soldiers were attacked by the protesting crowd upon reaching Oriental Hotel, prompting them to fire blanks in the air.

"They were stoned just as they dismounted."

General Taiwo says an officer, Major Saheed, was injured when soldiers were stoned by hoodlums on arrival at the Lekki toll gate.

He says the officer received medical treatment for a cut lip.

General Taiwo says Lieutenant Colonel S. O. Bello and Brigadier General F. O. Omata were the commanding officers at the Lekki toll gate on October 20, and would have issued the directive to shoot.

General Taiwo just testified that the fire seen in this LCC footage of October 20 was started by hoodlums.

General Taiwo says Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu (@jidesanwoolu) must have been misinformed for him to have said over 30 people were injured from the Lekki toll gate shooting of October 20.

General Taiwo says no one sent soldiers to disperse #EndSARS protesters at Lekki toll gate and that soldiers only engaged because they were stoned.

General Taiwo says the only injuries recorded at the Lekki toll gate were two people that fainted and were revived.

General Taiwo insists Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu (@jidesanwoolu) requested the Nigerian Army's intervention to restore order in Lagos.

General Taiwo says only the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, can activate troops for the Phase 4 operation that led to the soldiers engagement at Lekki toll gate on October 20.

General Taiwo says many of the videos used in respect of the Lekki toll gate shooting were manipulated by members of the public.

He says soldiers also recorded their own videos (but these have not been included in the Army's presentation).

General Taiwo says soldiers were not at the Lekki toll gate to enforce the Lagos State government's curfew.

General Taiwo explains why soldiers fired their rifles in response to being stoned.

The cross-examination of the Nigerian Army's representative, General A. I. Taiwo, has been concluded, and he has been discharged.

LCC counsel files fresh application for the panel to grant the company permission to take control of its toll gates for assessment of damage for insurance claims.

Panel does not grant request.

Today's session is over at 6:13 pm.

Panel adjourns till November 27.