Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, in a live broadcast that held minutes ago has claimed that no death was recorded in Tuesday night’s attack in the Lekki toll gate area of Lagos State.
Admitting that soldiers opened fire on #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki toll gate area last night in a bid to disperse them, the Governor disclosed that he is currently engaging the leadership of the Nigerian Army on the development, as the control of military forces was not under his purview.
According to Sanwo Olu, two critically wounded victims had been operated on and were in stable condition while others with “mild to moderate” cases are still receiving treatments at various hospitals in the area.
The Governor further stretched the 24-hour curfew in the state by 72 hours.
He said, “Fellow Lagosians, in the sensitive mood and in the mood of the nation at this time, I have directed further that we have an immediate suspension of all state activities for the next three days, except those that are connected to the security activities in the state and the management of the current issues.
“I have also directed that at all public buildings within our reach that we lower the flag for the next three days as a mark of respect and solidarity for the protests.”
“For clarity, it is imperative to explain that no sitting governor controls the rules of engagement of the military. I have, nonetheless, ordered an investigation into the rules of engagement adopted by men of the Nigerian Army that were deployed to the Lekki toll gate last night.
“This is with a view to take this up with higher commands of the Nigerian Army and to seek the intervention of Mr President in his capacity to as the Commander-In-Chief to unravel the sequence of events that happened yesterday (Tuesday) night.
“Fellow Lagosians, whilst we pray for the swift recovery of the injured, we have not recorded any fatality as against the widespread circulation on social media.”
“Myself and the leadership of the ministry of health have been going round. Indeed, we went round the hospitals last night. We went round mortuaries last night to see and to monitor for ourselves what has happened and to look and identified the injured protesters.
“We personally visited the hospitals that took in these patients. 10 patients at the General Hospital in Lagos, 11 patients were at the two locations of the Reddington Hospitals both in Lekki and Victoria Island,” he said, adding others sets were at various hospitals in the Lekki area.
“I want to expressly say that over the night, two of them had to go through surgery and I am happy to say that they are all stable and they are recovering very well. Quite a number of others are just mild to moderate states.
“Indeed, three of them had been discharged this morning and I am told that additional three to four will be discharged anytime from now.” Sanwo Olu said.