Many people are believed to have died on Tuesday night when still-unknown persons alleged to be members of the Nigerian military and police forces shot at #EndSARS protesters who had gathered at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos, in defiance of a 24-hour curfew imposed earlier in the day by the Lagos State government.
Scores of other protesters are believed to have been injured during the shootings, which came only a few hours after the 24-hour curfew imposed on the state was scheduled to begin at 9 pm local time in Nigeria. Many of the injured protesters with gunshot wounds were receiving treatment at hospitals across Lagos metropolis, especially on the high-brow Lagos Island axis where Lekki, the scene of the shootings, is located..
In addition, videos of the shootings made by witnesses, including many showing protesters who had been shot dead, made the rounds on social media in Nigeria and across the world.
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who commented on the shootings, described them as “unfortunate” and the “toughest night of our lives”, while conducting visits to various hospitals in the state where injured protestors were being treated. He also blamed the shootings on “forces beyond” his “direct control”.
Said Sanwo-Olu: “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.
“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,” Sanwo-Olu added.
In a related development, the Nigerian Army has denied the involvement of any of its personnel in the Lekki Toll Gate shootings that rocked Lagos on Tuesday night.
According to a statement, the Nigerian Army described the reports of involvement of its personnel in the shootings as “fake news”, while reiterating that none of its officers and men was within the vicinity of the Lekki Toll Gate area at the time of the shootings on Tuesday night.