#Endsars: Few Days To Election Sanwo-Olu Opens Up On Lekki Toll Gate Shooting

Posted by Nwa Diokpa Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria Wednesday, March 8th, 2023

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Governor of Lagos State, Sanwo-Olu, has tasked the youths to drop the question about “who ordered the shooting” and put themselves in his shoes.

It could be recalled that over two years ago, soldiers opened fire on peaceful protesters at Lekki toll gate in Lagos and Babajide Sanwo-Olu has opened up on the lessons he learnt from the shooting incident as well as the role he played.

The governor, who was speaking three days before the March 11 gubernatorial election, in an interview on Arise TV talked about the role he played during the crisis.

Answering a question on what lessons he learnt from the incident, Sanwo-Olu stated that he did not have any control over the soldiers that were deployed to the protest ground that night.

He tasked the youths to drop the question about “who ordered the shooting?” and put themselves in his situation.

“Young people do not do roleplay and sit back to reflect on what happened. It was not a flash event. It built up for three weeks. I do not have control. I do not control the military or the police,” the governor said.

“On the question of who ordered the [Lekki shooting], who ordered the police not to listen to me when I went to Magodo the other day? Who ordered the military out for our election last Saturday? It is not in my remit or space.

“But if just drop it for one second and do a role play and ask, what were my own action before during and after. I went out that night. I went to all the hospitals that we could have patients, I went out at 12 midnight and I saw things for myself and I reported what I saw.

The governor also stated that he has reached out to all #EndSARS victims in Lagos and also supported them with jobs.

“All of the people — and I am saying this for the first time on national TV — that claimed that they were either injured or affected in one form or the other, I, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, have reached out to them and supported, given them jobs and empowerment and things for them to start right.

“And that is why you do not see anybody come out during this campaign period to say ‘I was an #EndSars victim and I lost something,’ because I have taken it up and I feel that is something for me as a father and a leader to do for them, and clear this air around it,” he added.