Lekki tollgate: ‘Military never fired live high velocity projectiles at #EndSARS protesters’

A United Kingdom-based forensic expert, Dieye Willie-Harry, has debunked claims that soldiers shot at #EndSARS protesters with live high-velocity projectiles last October 20.

Willie-Harry told the Lagos State judicial panel probing the incident that from his investigation, he was “99.999% sure” that the bullets fired by the military were blank bullets.

He said the results of his forensic study showed that no live high-velocity projectiles were fired at the protesters at Lekki tollgate on 20th October 2020 between the hours of 18.30 and 20.43 when soldiers were on the ground.

Willie-Harry noted, nevertheless, that live, military-grade ammunition may have been fired at some point after the military had left by persons yet to be identified.

Willie-Harry, the director and senior consultant of Oxygene Consulting UK Ltd, testified on Tuesday, September 28, via Zoom link.

There are no fewer than 14 petitions relating to the alleged shooting incident, out of the 235 petitions received by the panel between October and December 2020.

The petitioners alleged that soldiers from the Army’s 81 Division, Victoria Island, Lagos fired live bullets on peaceful demonstrators, injuring and killing some.

But the army, which appeared thrice before the panel, denied the allegations, saying soldiers fired blank bullets in the air to disperse the crowd.

It, however, shunned repeated summons by the panel requiring it to respond to petitioners’ further questions and protesters’ evidence challenging its claims.

Willie-Harry, besides giving oral testimony, also submitted a flash drive containing two reports,

He stated that his organisation was engaged by the Lagos State government to conduct a forensic and ballistic investigation of the Lekki tollgate incident of October 20th 2020.

The investigation was conducted by his organisation in December 2020 and the report compiled in February 2021 and submitted.

The witness said the conclusion that the military did not fire live high-velocity projectiles at #EndSARS protesters on the said day was due to the obtained medical data of the victims who were admitted and treated at five medical centres, the time of arrival and the nature of injuries sustained.

He also stated that four of the victims who sustained gun hot injuries were discovered to be projectiles from low-velocity firearms which is not associated with the military or any of the security agencies.

He said the low-velocity projectiles from which the four identified patients were treated for are common with locally produced firearms.

However, Willie-Harry admitted that his team during the course of the investigation was unable to ascertain how, by whom, where and when the gunshot injuries were sustained by the victims.

He noted that it might not be unconnected with the breakdown of law and order on the 20th October 2020 in the state, including at the tollgate.

The witness said the rifles shown as being carried by men in military gear who were at the Lekki tollgate protest ground from footages and videos obtained were Russian made Kalashnikov AK 47 rifles and that if the rifles had been shot with live bullets at protesters, that the damage would have been catastrophic because an AK 47 rifle when fired within a range of 50-100 metres has the capacity to kill 2-3 persons or more at a single shot.

In his summary of the investigations conducted by his team, Mr Willie-Harry said: “in conclusion, from the examination and research surrounding open-source imagery and news reporting (including social media), along with the individual injuries and medical reports, we are of the opinion that “live” military-grade ammunition, may have been discharged at some point at the Lekki Toll Gate on 20th October 2020, after 21:00 hours and possibly aimed, at the road surface in front of protesters, which ultimately caused the projectiles to ricochet resulting in the core breaking out of the jacket and hitting the majority of the victims in the lower limbs at much reduced kinetic energy but with enough energy to fracture the long bones without exiting the victims’ bodies.

“These injuries are clear to see following the 21:30 hours time stamp on medical records. The Team has identified the firearms carried by the military officers, during the alleged incident, as Kalashnikov AK-type variants including Chinese Type 56, some with (foldable bayonet) extended.

“The direction of the muzzles of the Nigerian military firearms, as seen in various videos, recorded during the incident, varies predominantly from pointing towards the ground to directly skywards on discharge.”

“We have not viewed any footage, which definitively shows a muzzle aimed towards any individual and at the same time being fired with the effect thereof, with what we can freely assess to be firing live ammunition (no flailing or falling injured victims).

“However, given the injuries sustained from 21:00 hours and further, we believe, that live, military-grade ammunition, was fired at some point, by persons as yet to be identified.”

When asked under cross-examination to authenticate his assurance that the military didn’t fire live ammunition at the EndSARS protesters but rather fired blank bullets into the skies with images of muzzle flashes, the witness affirmed that by his training and that of his team members, he was 99.999% sure from his investigation that the bullets fired by the military were blank bullets.

In the media report presentation of the investigation, the witness also explained that the videos and footage alleged to be a massacre of #EndSARS protesters were not reflective of the reality as they were misleading and inaccurate representations of the fact.

Willie-Harry particularly disputed the video of the CNN report, describing it as a huge disappointment for an organisation of that calibre.

He also picked holes in the media reportage and footages of The BBC, Channels TV and DW TV, which the Centre for investigative Journalism relied on to present its report on the incident.

However, the witness admitted that the timeline between when the incident occurred and when his organisation embarked on the investigation was one that would not have allowed for facts and materials relevant to the investigation to be preserved as they were like to have been lost and some victims injuries healed or some victims absconding from accessing treatment from where they could be monitored.

Willie-Harry also affirmed that in a normal situation when such an incident occurs, it is appropriate to preserve the scene, but that this was not done and it affected his investigation that he had to rely on only what he was able get and presented with.

Willie-Harry also said that the team reviewed 19 ballistic-related injuries, non-law enforcement grade ammunition-related injuries, and 23 medical injuries classified as non-ballistic, non-fire arm-related injuries.

After his testimony, the expert witness was cross-examined by different lawyers representing the police, LCC, #EndSARS protesters, and the Nigerian Bar Association.

At 6:15 pm, the Chairman of the panel, Justice Doris Okuwobi, adjourned the proceedings.

She said the panel would retire to consider its ruling on the Lekki tollgate shooting and communicate to parties later when the ruling is ready for delivery.

Lekki tollgate: ‘Military never fired live high velocity projectiles at #EndSARS protesters’

So even if they didnt fire high velocity projectiles, i never realized blank bullet kills ...


Tales of lord luggard

Who do we expect them to support? No be the UK dem dey carry our money go? The white people can never save or fight for us. Though this forensic expert isonu called Harry is from Rivers state but its obvious he is being used by both Nigeria and UK government. If we think the white strong countries go save us we dey joke. Na dem go still borrow them money, because codedly our politicians sef dey borrow them money.

Na only we go save and fight for ourselves, don't expect any support from Western government. Rwanda genocide easily comes to mind.

If it ever says Uk, i don't expect them to say the truth, they are the reason we're in this mess called Nigeria, of course they wholeheartedly support Nigerian corrupt leaders and will always welcome them and their loot into uk, and even urge them to make it their home. Nonsense. Free oil and gas is there to gain.

Willie-Harry told the Lagos State judicial panel probing the incident that from his investigation, he was “99.999% sure” that the bullets fired by the military were blank bullets.

After another forensic report confirmed the live amo cases found at the scene belonged to the Nigerian Army ?

Apc and propaganda, which one is uk expert? Or paid expert?
Experts that were hired by the the Lagos government just said military used live bullets and few days from that reports, one jumbo expert don come out, where was this expert all this while?


https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/487172-lekki-shooting-live-military-grade-ammunition-fired-at-protesters-expert.html

We still on diz mata

Paid expert

Damnnn niggar

This matter still dey ground

This willi willi Harry just dey confuse he papa head with him stupid investigation

First him say no live high-velocity projectiles was fired

Later Him talk again now say live, military-grade ammunition may have been fired at some point after the military had left by persons yet to be identified.

Then he also say low-velocity projectiles common with locally produced firearms were fired

Check the last credit transaction in his account. E get why...

Following..

20/10/2020 may the soul of the departed not rest until everyone involved in this cover up is exposed.

It's on Sight!

But we all knew that.

DJ witch, it shall never be well with you.

Expert my ass

Lol

Paid whitewashers. Expert wey no dey the scene

How much were you paid?

I wonder how much they've paid diswan as bribe....if they could offer homeless US citizens $500 to carry their placards.

Paid forensics analyst

But they fired!
Why will you fire unarmed young citizens?
Why send military formation to a protests ground and not a war zone?
Are there no police officers in Lagos that can easily disperse the protesters if there was a great need to do so?
Why switch off the lekki toll gate lights before firing shots @protesters?
Why did the FG have to bring down Inspector Fashola Holmes to discover a cam coder?
What happened to the camcorder details/information?
Why did the Lagos Governor claim it was order from powers beyond his control?
Who made the order for military formation to a protests ground?

All these questions shows we have incompetent and wicked leadership presently in Nigeria.

WE NEED YOUNG VISIONARY LEADERS NOT THESE PRESENT OLD CHARLATANS PARADING THEMSELVES!

CHANNELStv2020:
UK should stop defending their interest in Nigeria,this is post Colonial era for Godsake,this Lies is an insult and a spot on the grave of all the comrades we lost during endsars.

Joromi1:
Confused paid expert. And what was he insinuating by:

We will never forget!

SmartyPants:


Read with insight.

The headline is a creation of the OP, not the expert.

He said the army never fired any live bullets because the weapons they carried were high velocity weapons and the victims sustained injuries from low velocity weapons

SmartyPants:


lol. I'll quote you whenever and however I please so long as I feel you can benefit from a brief lesson which you clearly do.

Stop quoting me with NONSENSE!

@SENIORWRITER

Who be this one??��

Obviously The UK has been compromised with oil wells and gas fields allocations by this government. That was what the secret oil blocs allocations few months ago were all about. The corrupt British should stop their endless meddlings in Nigerias affairs and stay in their cold country to deal with their fuel shortages..

20/10/2020
We no go forget

H

UK should stop defending their interest in Nigeria,this is post Colonial era for Godsake,this Lies is an insult and a spot on the grave of all the comrades we lost during endsars.

S





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!!!!!

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