Lekki Shootings: Soldiers should be commended for using blanks – ex-Army spokesman Usman

 

Former Director Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Sani Usman has said that soldiers who attacked protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate deserve commendation for using blank ammunition.

Making an appearance Thursday on Arise News, Usman alleged that the Military personnel used ‘blank ammunition to disperse protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate.

The army had earlier claimed that the video showing soldiers at the shooting was photoshopped adding that its officers were not present at the scene of the shooting.

But after about a week of denial, the 81 Division of the Nigerian Army (NA), on Wednesday, revealed that the Lagos State Government invited the military to intervene during the End SARS protests.

Speaking on the raging issue, Usman said, “If you look at the canisters, they were blank ammo and blank ammo don’t even kill. At a close range, maybe 100metres – maybe it will have some pigmentation on your skin.

“Remember the military are armed and by the nature of their training, they are trained to kill and I think the military in its wisdom instead of using live ammunition decided to use blank armour which is meant for training.

“I think they should be commended for that otherwise there would have been serious collateral damage, but they were professional enough to have done that.”