Lekki Shooting: ‘It’s Not Me…It Doesn’t Define My Person,’ Sanwo-Olu Insists

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has insisted that he did not have a hand in the shooting incident that occurred at the Lekki toll gate on Tuesday night.

Sanwo-Olu spoke for the third time on the shooting incident during an Arise TV interview which was monitored by THE WHISTLER on Thursday morning.

According to the governor, the deployment of soldiers and subsequent sporadic shooting at the protest ground did not have his endorsement.

Sanwo-Olu had been asked how he intends to redeem his good image in the eyes of Lagosians and other Nigerians who had commended how he handled the recent outbreak of COVID-19 in the state.

The governor said, “How do we come back to the Jide Sanwo-Olu that you know? This is me…this is who I am. I’m your governor that you all truly elected last year and I want to continue to thank you for that.

“The unfortunate incident two days ago…It’s not me, it doesn’t define my person, it is not what I stand for, it is not what I believe in.”

THE WHISTLER earlier reported that Governor Sanwo-Olu, in his first reaction, had said that the unleashing of soldiers on the unarmed Lekki protesters was ordered by “forces beyond our direct control”.

The governor had also countered the Nigerian Army’s claim that “no soldiers were at the scene” of the shooting, but noted that contrary to reports that scores of persons were killed, only one death was recorded at the time, while many of the protesters were injured and hospitalized.

Sanwo-Olu said he couldn’t have supported the deployment of soldiers to the protest ground, as he had shown solidarity with the demonstrators from the onset.

“I was the first governor that joined the (#EndSARS) protests. At Lekki, I held the flag in solidarity (with the protesters). Waters were thrown at me, I was pulled down, but I didn’t shake, I was with them.

“The following day I was with them at Alausa, which were the two prominent locations. I collected that letter from you with joy and I did make a promise that relevant authorities at the highest levels would get these letters.

“I went to Abuja, and there are footages that showed that indeed I made those communications, indeed I made those contacts that I promised you that I was going to do. And I came and i said “five for five” we would do everything to ensure that we would tick the buckets.

“I was the first governor that set up a fund (for victims of police brutality) to ensure that protestants, people that have been brutalized (by the police) are compensated. I was the first that set up a judicial panel of enquiry and we’ve inaugurated them and we’ve done everything within our own means…” he said.

THE WHISTLER also reported that in his broadcast on Wednesday morning, Governor Sawo-Olu had called on the President Muhammadu Buhari to use his office as the Commander-in-Chief to order investigation into the circumstances that led to the deployment of the soldiers at Lekki.

While the governor has spoken and expressed regrets over the incident three times, President Buhari has yet to utter a word on the shooting incident.

The Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, had 24 hours after the incident offered his condolences to the families of protesters and policemen that have lost their lives since the #EndSARS protests started.

Osinbajo also expressed regret over the deployment of soldiers at the Lekki toll gate, saying “We pray we will never see a repeat of these tragedies in Jesus name.”

#EndSARS is a social movement that initially started on social media, before growing into street protests against police brutality and bad governance.