Lekki Toll Gate Shootings: Criminals after us – Buratai cries out

Tukur Buratai, chief of army staff, says ”criminal elements” are threatening military officers with travel ban.

The army came under criticism after soldiers opened fire on #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki tollgate on Tuesday.

Nigerians had taken to the streets to protest police brutality and demand good governance.

The army denied involvement in the Lekki shooting which sparked off nationwide violence — with mobs looting and destroyed public and private infrastructures.

At a conference with army commanders in Abuja on the #EndSARS incident, Buratai accused some international organisations of threatening military officers with travel ban over alleged violations of human rights.

“Criminal elements are threatening us with travel ban but we are not worried because we must remain in this country to make it better,” he said.

“The first time I travelled outside of this country, I was already 50 years and a General, so I don’t mind if I live the rest of my life here.”

It is not clear yet which of the international organisations issued the threat.

Some Nigerians had called on the international community to place a visa ban on those responsible for the shooting of peaceful protesters.

The army chief said they will not allow any agent in or outside Nigeria to set the country on fire.

He said the army remains resolute in doing everything possible to ensure that ”subversive elements, detractors and other enemies of Nigeria do not achieve their aims and objectives of destabilisation”.

“The events of the past few days in our dear nation have shown the determination of some unscrupulous individuals and groups to destabilise Nigeria by all means,” he said.

“These individuals, groups and other undesirable elements have hijacked the peaceful #EndSARS protest marches resulting to widespread violence, acts of wanton destruction and looting of public and private properties in many parts of the country. These acts led to the imposition of curfew in several states of the federation.

“Despite all these, the army has continued to exercise restraint applied all the principles of internal security operations and fully abided by the internationally recognised rules of engagement as contained in our published standard operating procedures for internal security operations which are derived from the International human rights laws and are in accordance with the international principles guiding the use of force.”