The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hakeem Odumosu represented by the OC operations Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Oludotun Udubona today Friday 17th of September 2021, concluded his testimony before the panel as he was discharged from further appearance before the panel after his cross examination by counsels to the EndSARS protesters on record before the panel and that of the NBA.
Recall that at the panel’s last sitting on the Lekki incident investigation, ACP Odubona had tendered two flash drives of the role of the Nigeria police force Lagos State command during the EndSARS protest as well as documentary evidence of the list of names of police officers murdered, police stations, area commands, barracks, 63 police vehicles, 2 APC’s, 38 personal vehicles of policemen among others, burnt down, list of arms and ammunition carted away and suspects released from lawful custody which was admitted and marked as exhibit.
The Assistant Commissioner of Police was cross examined by the Lagos State government and the Lekki Concession Company (LCC) counsels with the remaining counsels asking for an adjournment to enable them study the evidence to be able to cross examine the police officer.
Under cross examination, ACP Oludotun Udubona restated that the Lagos State police command withdrew it’s men from the Lekki tollgate plaza from the 14th of October 2020, following attack and assault on the Governor of Lagos State when he came to the protest ground on the 13th of October 2020 to address and plead with the protesters and based on intelligence of impending attacks against policemen. He reaffirmed that based on the directive of the Lagos State Commissioner of police, policemen were withdrawn from the tollgate from the 14th – 21st October 2020.
The ACP restated that based on his experience as a police officer of 25 years standing, that if a protest goes beyond 4 or 5 days, then the likelihood of it being hijacked is very high. On if he was aware of gun shot victims of 20th October 2020 being treated at hospitals in Lekki area of Lagos State, the police chief said he was unaware. On if he would be surprised to learn that policemen were seen in video footages at the Lekki tollgate protest ground as against the claim of Mr. Udubona? The witness replied that he would be surprised because the commissioner of police had directed that policemen withdraw from the tollgate to protect police stations and barracks that had been earmarked for attack by the protesters.
On if he is aware that EndSARS protesters were shot and killed at Lekki tollgate protest ground on the 20th October 2020? Mr. Odubona said he is unaware because no official complaint of any shooting and gun shot injury inflicted on anybody was made to his office. When asked if he does not believe that some persons were shot and treated for gun shot injuries? Mr. Odubona said he is unaware because no such report was brought to his office as OC operations Lagos State command of the Nigeria police force.
Mr. Olagunju a counsel to the EndSARS protesters then asked for the video tendered and admitted as exhibit from Mr Odubona to be played where it showed a EndSARS protester at Lekki tollgate protest ground holding a scorpion gun and asked if the person was a protester or hoodlum? The police chief said the person was one of the protesters at the Lekki tollgate protest ground, that he cannot say whether he was a protester or hoodlum, because there was no means of identification for distinguishing between a protester and a hoodlum.
On why 80 armed policemen were deployed to Lekki area as against the claim of the ACP that the police were not directed to apply graduated high level force to contain the violence? The representative of the police commissioner stated that if the order for the graduated force had been given, it would have been impossible for the policemen to flee when they were attacked by EndSARS protesters at the Adekunle axis of the third Mainland bridge. Mr. Odubona said the 80 armed policemen never got to Lekki as they were attacked at Adekunle axis of the third Mainland bridge and that their deployment to Lekki area on the morning of 20th October 2020 was to protect private and public facilities due to intelligence report of a planned attack.
On the claim of policemen attached to Maroko police station led by the DPO attacking and shooting of protesters on the 20th October 2020 at the Lekki tollgate protest ground after the Nigeria Army had left and on the 21st October 2020 at Lekki phase 1? Mr. Odubona stated that he was unaware of such information.
Mr. Adeshina Ogunlana then applied for a witness summons against the DPO of Maroko police station which was granted as the panel adjourned further hearing on the matter to 21st September 2021 just as it discharged the Assistant Commissioner of Police from further appearance before the panel.
The panel also conducted hearings into about 5 other cases on the causelist for the day, with adjournment to various dates based on the stage of adjudication.
The panel sitting continues.
