…says Nigerian Army not to blame for Lekki shooting

A special report by the Centre for Human Rights and Crisis Management (CHRCM) has blamed some persons for the escalation of violence in the aftermath of the shooting at Lekki toll gate in Lagos State.

In the report signed by its special rapporteur, Dr Thomas Uzah, on Friday, the centre exonerated the Nigerian Army of any wrongdoing at Lekki or anywhere else in Nigeria.

The centre said it came to this conclusion after a detailed investigation and analysis of the chain of events that eventually led to the breakdown of law and order in Lagos and other parts of the country.

Among others, the report said these persons mobilised social media influencers to project the government as insensitive to the demands of the youths; mustered logistics for street protest and rallied celebrities to discredit the government’s efforts towards reforming the Police.

The report noted that fake news in the form of press statements and social media trends were deployed to ensure that the protests gathered momentum despite the government’s assurances.

As part of its recommendations, the centre, however, called on relevant authorities to identify those individuals and groups that incited the people into resorting to acts of violence.

It also suggested that they appear before an investigative panel of inquiry to give an account of their activities during that period.

VANGUARD