Army Promotes Officer Defending Shooting Of Protesters At Lagos Panel

The Officer Representing the Nigerian Army at the panel set up by the Lagos State government to probe the Lekki shooting, Brigedier General Ibrahim Taiwo, has been promoted to the rank of major-general.

Sources confirmed to THE WHISTLER that General Taiwo has been elevated to the rank of a major-general after the military board approved the promotion of senior officers.

The cable broke the story on Friday morning, saying it was informed by sources.

But a top source at the Defence Headquarters confirmed the development to THE WHISTLER.

It maybe recalled that Soldiers had, on October 20, forcefully dispersed #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki toll gate and this led to public outcry as the soldiers were believed to have shot at the protesters.

Following the protest to end police brutality, the Lagos government set up the panel to look into allegations of rights abuses by the disbanded police special anti-robbery squad (SARS).

Taiwo, commander of the army 81 division intelligence brigade, has been the one putting up defence for the soldiers’ action and the promotion could have been a reward for his handling of the issue at the panel.

At first, the army denied deploying soldiers to the protest ground. It later said soldiers were sent there on the invitation of Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos.

Taiwo had also “argued that the soldiers didn’t have the intention to disperse the protesters but were on patrol to clear up the Lekki, Eti-Osa corridor”.

According to him, “the soldiers were attacked by hoodlums, and this necessitated the use of force”.