More revelations have continued to emerge over the events that led to shooting of peaceful #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos on Tuesday October 20, 2020.
Brig. Gen. Ahmed Taiwo, the Commander of 81 Military Intelligence Brigade, Victoria Island, has fingered the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, as the person who ordered the deployment of soldiers undergoing training at military schools in Lagos to the Lekki Toll Gate on the black Tuesday night.
Brig. Gen. Taiwo made this revelation while he was testifying at the Lagos Judicial Panel of Inquiry currently investigating the shooting of the unarmed protesters by soldiers deployed to enforce the curfew imposed on the state by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
While giving his evidence in chief, Brig. Gen. Taiwo said:
“The 81 Division was short of troops and the Chief of Army Staff gave an extraordinary order that all Army schools should be shut down and everybody should be brought to the operation.”
He added that a day before the incident, he had taught the trainee soldiers about internal security techniques since he is also an examiner at the Nigerian Army Intelligence, and wondered that it was “unbelievable that only a day after learning the rules, they were going for an operation in internal security” and did not put into practice what he taught them.
The senior military officer also debunked reports that the Army was searching for Obianuju Catherine Udeh, popularly known as DJ Switch, who shared live videos on Instagram from the Lekki Toll Gate on the night of October 20, when soldiers shot at peaceful #EndSARS protesters.
Brig. Gen Taiwo said the claims are not true as the Army has “more bigger fish to fry than to expend its energy in search of DJ Switch” who is reported to have relocated to Canada.
“The claim by DJ Switch that the Nigerian Army is looking for her is false. Nothing could be farther from the truth. We have bigger fish to fry and that is how to stabilize Lagos.” Brig-Gen Taiwo said
Though DJ Switch’s whereabouts has not been ascertained as reports claim she fled the country to Canada where she was granted asylum, citing threats to her life, her personal assistant, Charles Abi, granted an interview where he stated that she was safe and out of the country.
