Soldiers took live bullets to Lekki tollgate — Nigerian Army

The Nigerian Army has said that the soldiers it deployed to evict protesters from the Lekki Toll Plaza took live rounds along.

But the military insisted that the soldiers took the live bullets along to protect themselves and not to attack protesters.

Ibrahim Taiwo, who commands of the 81 division of the Nigerian Army, made the admission while testifying before the Lagos panel investigating the shooting of protesters at the Lekki tollgate on October 20.

Taiwo made the comments while being cross-examined by lawyer Olumide Fusika, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

Taiwo said that while the soldiers who opened fire used blank bullets, their colleagues with live rounds were on ground to protect from suspected hoodlums who fomented trouble.

But multiple witnesses say the soldiers shot and killed protesters at the scene.

The military had initially said that its soldiers were never at the tollgate.