Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has condemned Tuesday night attack on #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki tollgate area of the state.
The governor also denied ordering the shooting of the protesters, saying forces beyond the state’s control were responsible for the gruesome act.
He made this known when he visited the wounded protesters at some Lagos hospitals on Wednesday morning.
Sanwo-Olu vowed to work with the Federal Government to get to the roots of the matter, adding that he will address Lagosians this morning.
He said;
This is the toughest night of our lives as forces beyond our direct control have moved to make dark notes in our history, but we will face it and come out stronger.
I’ve just concluded visits to hospitals with victims of this unfortunate shooting incident at Lekki.
Sanwo-Olu expressed;
It has taken me this long to make a statement because I have to prioritize the welfare of the victims of this very sad incident.
There are currently 10 patients at the Gen Hospital, 11 at Reddington and 4 at Vedic; with mild to moderate levels of injuries while 2 are receiving intensive medical care. 3 patients have been discharged & we will continue to monitor and ensure all patients get the best care.
He added;
As the Governor of our state, I recognize the buck stops at my table and I will work with the FG to get to the root of this unfortunate incident and stabilise all security operations to protect the lives of our residents. I will give a state broadcast in the morning.”
Tragedy struck when security operatives, in a bid to disperse #EndSARS protesters, reportedly opened fire on the youths at the Lekki tollgate around 7pm.
The attack, according to many Nigerians, appears to be a coordinated one as lights in the area were turned off and the security cameras were cut off, leaving protesters in darkness.
#EndSARS protesters have been demonstrating against police brutality and extrajudicial killings at the Lekki tollgate for about two weeks.
Similar demonstrations have been staged in different parts of the state and the country.
However, hoodlums had hijacked the #EndSARS campaign in some cities, wreaked havoc on citizens and vandalised public assets in Lagos, Benin, Abuja, Jos, Ekiti, Akure, Ibadan, amongst others
At least three police stations, three banks, a hospital and a local government secretariat were torched by hoodlums in Lagos state on Tuesday.
The state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, imposed a 24-hour curfew on Tuesday afternoon to stem the tide of the growing violence.
Read Also: #EndSARS: Lagos Govt Imposes 24-Hour Curfew
Some of the protesters stated that the timing was short as they couldn’t return home on time, therefore decided to remain at the protest ground.
Tuesday night attack has been condemned locally and internationally, with many individuals and bodies calling for justice for the lives lost and injured.
See some photos of Sanwo-Olu visiting wounded protesters below;
