JANUARY 20, 2012 BY ADEMOLA ONI AND FIDELIS SORIWEI 10 COMMENTS

The Federal Government on Thursday made a U-turn on an earlier claim that it was behind the deployment of the soldiers that crushed the recent anti-fuel subsidy protests in Lagos.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja, the Director of Defence Information, Col. Mohammed Yerima, said the troops were not deployed by the federal authorities. Yerima, who spoke at the Defence Headquarters, said the soldiers were members of a joint police-military security team “set up and sponsored” by the Lagos State Government.

Yerima said, “The soldiers seen on the streets of Lagos are still the same men of the Special Task Force code-named: Operation Mesa. It was set up and sponsored by the Lagos state government long before the fuel subsidy protest for the purpose of supporting the civil police in protecting lives and property, as is the case in many parts of the country.

“The men of the task force who are currently in Lagos have been there and were not brought from outside Lagos. They are members of Lagos State Government sponsored Operation MESA and the demand for their withdrawal is therefore uncalled for.”

Yerima’s claim, however, contradicts a statement credited to the Minister of Defence, Dr. Haliru Mohammed, on Tuesday.

Mohammed had told journalists that the Federal Government deployed soldiers in Lagos to forestall a breakdown of law and order during the anti-fuel subsidy removal protests.

Mohammed had said, “From the reports available to government, these people were planning to ignite actions typical of what is going on in Syria and other Arab countries and there is no way any responsible government would fold its arms and watch some people destabilise any part of the country.

“The deployment of soldiers was meant to forestall anarchy, so government stepped in to control the situation so that people with the wrong motives can be put in check. The soldiers will be withdrawn as soon as normalcy returns to the streets of Lagos and other parts of the country where soldiers are on such duties”

In its reaction on Thursday, the Lagos Government was quick to point out the contradictions in the statements of the two senior government officials.

In a statement by the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Lateef Ibirogba, the state government described the Federal Government’s latest version of events as “an obvious afterthought.”

[b]Lagos said the central government only came up with a new version of events because of the condemnation that greeted the deployment of soldiers to crush a peaceful protest.

Ibirogba emphasised that the claim of the Defence Headquarters contradicted the explanation of Mohammed and asked the military to back up its claims with proofs.

Ibirogba said, “The state government challenges the military authorities to show proof of the request of troop deployment in the streets of Lagos State.

“Instead of simply taking the honourable path by apologising to the people of Lagos for an unpopular act, they have resorted to offering spurious and bogus claims aimed at deceiving the people.”

The commissioner added, “This attempt to cover up has left the public with much confusion, as the Minister of Defence offered one reason and the Military authority has offered another. They should just take the honourable path by apologising to the people of Lagos State, and withdraw the soldiers forthwith.

“The presence of the Police, Army and other federally controlled security agencies in Lagos does not translate to their been under the control of the state.”[/b]

http://www.punchng.com/news/fg-lagos-disagree-over-soldiers-deployment/