Lekki Shooting: CNN Releases Evidences To Refute Nigerian Army Claims

(video contains graphic imagery of injury and death)

Cable News Network (CNN), an American news-based pay television channel has released an investigative report on the alleged shooting of EndSARS protesters by soldiers in Lekki Toll Plaza, Lagos, on October, 20, 2020.

A link to the full report was released on the official twitter account of CNN Africa, today, November 18, 2020.

This report titled “‘They pointed their guns at us and started shooting” follows the claims and counter-claims that have since trailed the Lekki incident. The report collates photographs and video footage, eye witness reports, and reports on some missing protesters to the ‘refute authorities’ shifting claims’.

Governor of Lagos state, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has condemned the shooting, stating he never ordered soldiers to shoot at the protesters. He has also constituted a judicial panel to investigate the incident and other similar ones by security agencies.

The NIgerian Army has denied that it shot at the protesters. The Army claim that it was invited to enforce a state curfew by the Lagos State Government.

“Evidence shows that live rounds were fired on peaceful protesters in Lagos, Nigeria – despite the army’s continued claims that they fired in the air and only used blanks”, CNN affirmed.

CNN Investigation

CNN states that it has examined bullet casings found at the scene and confirmed with current and former Nigerian military sources that the bullet casings match those used by the army. Two ballistics experts have also confirmed with CNN that the shape of the bullet casings indicate they used live rounds, which contradicts the army’s claim they fired blanks.

CNN also said that bullets fired at Lekki toll gate are from live ammunition. And working with the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network, CNN has established that several of the bullets from the Lekki toll gate originated from Serbia. “Export documents CNN has seen show that Nigeria purchased weaponry from Serbia almost every year between 2005 and 2016”

From multiple videos, CNN pieced together a timeline that shows that shooting by the army lasted from 6:43 p.m. until at least 8:24 p.m. “The videos capturing some of those 101 minutes tell a story of terror and chaos” They show graphic injuries and people bleeding on the ground.

SOURCE: CNN AFRICA

Testimony from dozens of eyewitnesses and family members interviewed by CNN and a forensic examination of hours of video and dozens of photographs captured before, during and after the two shooting incidents show “how a fledgling protest movement was all but extinguished by the very thing Nigerians were demonstrating against”

Tags: EndSARS protest Lekki tollgate Shootings