Governor of Lagos state, Babajide Sanwoolu has denied responsibility for the shutting down of the Lekki Tollgate billboard shortly before Security Operatives opened fire on #EndSARS Protesters.
On Tuesday, Several #EndSARS protesters were killed on Tuesday evening after security agents opened fire on them. Strangely, the Lekki billboard and street lights around the tollgate were switched off before the incident raising suspicions of foul play.
The billboard managed by LoatsAD Media, owned by Seyi Tinubu, issued a statement that the billboard had to be shutdown due to the curfew put in place by Governor Sanwoolu.
In response, Mr. Sanwoolu, in a statement made available to POLITICS NIGERIA on Thursday evening disclosed that the “concessionaire that operates the billboard took the decision independently after the curfew order was announced“.
“There have been several false information that we have seen over the incident and we will appeal to people to show more restraint in posting information that cannot be verified.”
The Governor spoke on the alleged removal of Close-Circuit Television (CCTV) security cameras at the Toll Plaza before the shooting started, debunking the claims that he ordered the action. Sanwo-Olu said the cameras that were removed were not security cameras but laser cameras meant to capture vehicles’ electronic tags and number plates. He said the removal of the laser cameras was a decision taken by Lekki Concession Company (LCC) that owns the facility.
He said: “When I spoke to the Managing Director of LCC over the matter, he told me the company took the decision to remove installations critical to their service when the curfew was announced. Those cameras that were displayed in the viral pictures were not security or motion cameras. They are laser cameras for vehicles, specifically designed to pick electronic tags and number plates on cars. Security cameras installed at the Toll Plaza are still there as I speak and the footages from them are the ones that we will be using in probing the Lekki incident. Since Tuesday, the security cameras at the Toll Plaza are still there and nobody can touch them.”
Sanwo-Olu said multi-agency investigation into Lekki incident may begin next Monday when order would have been fully restored across the State, pointing out that the recordings of the CCTV security cameras at the Toll Plaza would be useful in unraveling the circumstance that surrounded the incident.
