
*Defers to Lagos Gov’s inquiry commission
Emmanuel Onani, Abuja
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has sued for calm over the shooting incident at the Lekki Tollgate in Lagos, Tuesday, saying any position now has the potential of prejudicing the outcome of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry instituted by the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
The tragic incident, which left some #EndSARS protesters dead, with many others sustaining varying degrees of injuries, has continued to attract both local and global condemnation.
As a result, many highly-placed personalities, including a former President, Chief Olusedun Obasanjo, have tasked President Muhammadu Buhari, on the urgent need to address the nation, with a view to dousing tension in the country.
Speaking on the development, Coordinator, Defence Media Operations (DMO), Major General John Enenche, underscored the need for circumspection, while relevant authorities unravel the circumstances(s) surrounding the attack on protesters.
According to Enenche, the matter was no longer “open-ended”, hence the need to await the outcome of the Lagos government’s investigation.
“If the matter was still open-ended I would have had a response for you but is no longer open-ended, because immediately, not even up to five hours, before midnight the Governor of Lagos set up an Inquiry, so whatever we say now will not be fair to the Commission,” Enenche said.
He added thus: “The issue is not an operation that I can respond to. But I can tell you that it is an allegation for now, so let us not set the cart before the horse.
“We are dealing with major operations, anything outside this is what is called Operation MESA, I may not want to go too much into Operation MESA because it is not a major operation. We have nine Operations and other subsidiary Operations which I have been directed to focus.
“Operation MESA is strictly under the policy directive of the various states we have them all over the country and it is the oldest of all Operations.
“For this Operation you have the Military, Navy Air Force, Civil Defence and the Police put together.”
This was as the DMO’s coordinator further stated that: “These operations are still standing and running and I am aware that the state governments are using them in all these capacities, that is internal security, the level we are now is internal security and that is why the Police proactively came out and then deployed all their Force package that are necessary to handle that so that is where we are.
“So if there was anything and if it is true, why am I saying if it is true because up to this morning, I even called analysts who have analysed videos that were Photoshopped and put together, if not that I am not permitted, I would have forwarded it to you”.