Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has said reports of soldiers killing unarmed #EndSARS protesters at Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos State on Monday night remains an accusation.
It added that viral videos and pictures of security vehicles conveying thugs to protest venues to attack #EndSARS protesters may have been photoshopped.
This is in contrast to report from human rights body, Amnesty International that 12 protesters died when soldiers fired live ammunitions at protesters on Monday night.
At a media briefing in Abuja, the Coordinator of the Defence Media Operations (DDMO), Major General John Enenche, said with the analysis of the shooting and video evidence available, the “shooting remains an accusation”.
He stated;
Up till this morning before I came here, I got analysts, analysing the videos that were photoshopped. If I was permitted to, I would have forwarded it.
Enenche asked Nigerians to wait for the outcome of an ongoing investigation into the Tuesday shooting, adding that his statement may prejudice the findings of the Commission of Inquiry set up by the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
The issue is not an operation that I can respond to, but I can tell you that it is an allegation, for now; so let us not set the cart before the horse.
If the matter was still open-ended, I would have had a response for you but it is no longer open-ended, because immediately, not even up to five hours before midnight, the Governor of Lagos set up an inquiry. So, whatever we say now will not be fair to the commission.
Speaking further, the spokesman revealed that the military codenamed ‘Operation MESA’ is involved in internal security operations in nine states but did not disclose more details about the joint security task force.
He added that Operation MESA which comprises of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Civil Defence and police personnel is under the control of the state governments.
Enenche explained;
So these operations are still standing and running and I am aware that the state governments are using them in all these capacities, that is internal security.
The level we are now is internal security and that is why the police proactively came out and then deployed all their force package that are necessary to handle that (violence).
On absence of security operatives on the streets during the violence and widespread looting in Lagos state by hoodlums, Enenche said;
They were on the grounds; maybe, they were not visible in all places.
Watch a video excerpt of Major General John Enenche speaking below;
The army is saying the videos are photoshopped??????
What??????? pic.twitter.com/bErAfURPyN— CHOCOLATE MAN 👽🌹 (@TobiDaDeviant) October 22, 2020
