Lekki Tollgate: Army Didn’t Fire High Velocity Projectiles – UK Expert

A United Kingdom-based forensic professional, Dieye Willie-Harry, has debunked claims that troopers shot at #EndSARS protesters with dwell high-velocity projectiles final October 20.

Willie-Harry advised the Lagos State judicial panel probing the incident that from his investigation, he was “99.999% positive” that the bullets fired by the navy have been clean bullets.

He mentioned the outcomes of his forensic research confirmed that no dwell high-velocity projectiles have been fired on the protesters at Lekki tollgate on twentieth October 2020 between the hours of 18.30 and 20.43 when troopers have been on the bottom.

Willie-Harry famous, nonetheless, that dwell, military-grade ammunition might have been fired in some unspecified time in the future after the navy had left by individuals but to be recognized.

Willie-Harry, the director and senior guide of Oxygene Consulting UK Ltd, testified on Tuesday, September 28, through Zoom hyperlink.

There aren’t any fewer than 14 petitions regarding the alleged capturing incident, out of the 235 petitions obtained by the panel between October and December 2020.

The petitioners alleged that troopers from the Military’s 81 Division, Victoria Island, Lagos fired dwell bullets on peaceable demonstrators, injuring and killing some.

However the military, which appeared thrice earlier than the panel, denied the allegations, saying troopers fired clean bullets within the air to disperse the group.

It, nonetheless, shunned repeated summons by the panel requiring it to answer petitioners’ additional questions and protesters’ proof difficult its claims.

Willie-Harry, apart from giving oral testimony, additionally submitted a flash drive containing two studies,

He said that his organisation was engaged by the Lagos State authorities to conduct a forensic and ballistic investigation of the Lekki tollgate incident of October twentieth 2020.

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

The witness mentioned the conclusion that the navy didn’t fireplace dwell high-velocity projectiles at #EndSARS protesters on the mentioned day was because of the obtained medical knowledge of the victims who have been admitted and handled at 5 medical centres, the time of arrival and the character of accidents sustained.

He additionally said that 4 of the victims who sustained gun sizzling accidents have been found to be projectiles from low-velocity firearms which isn’t related to the navy or any of the safety businesses.

He mentioned the low-velocity projectiles from which the 4 recognized sufferers have been handled for are widespread with domestically produced firearms.

Nevertheless, Willie-Harry admitted that his crew in the course of the course of the investigation was unable to determine how, by whom, the place and when the gunshot accidents have been sustained by the victims.

He famous that it may not be unconnected with the breakdown of legislation and order on the twentieth October 2020 within the state, together with on the tollgate.

The witness mentioned the rifles proven as being carried by males in navy gear who have been on the Lekki tollgate protest floor from footages and movies obtained have been Russian made Kalashnikov AK 47 rifles and that if the rifles had been shot with dwell bullets at protesters, that the harm would have been catastrophic as a result of an AK 47 rifle when fired inside a variety of 50-100 metres has the capability to kill 2-3 individuals or extra at a single shot.

In his abstract of the investigations carried out by his crew, Mr Willie-Harry mentioned: “in conclusion, from the examination and analysis surrounding open-source imagery and information reporting (together with social media), together with the person accidents and medical studies, we’re of the opinion that “dwell” military-grade ammunition, might have been discharged in some unspecified time in the future on the Lekki Toll Gate on twentieth October 2020, after 21:00 hours and presumably aimed, on the street floor in entrance of protesters, which in the end brought about the projectiles to ricochet ensuing within the core breaking out of the jacket and hitting nearly all of the victims within the decrease limbs at a lot diminished kinetic vitality however with sufficient vitality to fracture the lengthy bones with out exiting the victims’ our bodies.

“These accidents are clear to see following the 21:30 hours time stamp on medical information. The Workforce has recognized the firearms carried by the navy officers, in the course of the alleged incident, as Kalashnikov AK-type variants together with Chinese language Kind 56, some with (foldable bayonet) prolonged.

“The route of the muzzles of the Nigerian navy firearms, as seen in varied movies, recorded in the course of the incident, varies predominantly from pointing in the direction of the bottom to immediately skywards on discharge.”

“We now have not considered any footage, which definitively exhibits a muzzle aimed in the direction of any particular person and on the identical time being fired with the impact thereof, with what we are able to freely assess to be firing dwell ammunition (no flailing or falling injured victims).

“Nevertheless, given the accidents sustained from 21:00 hours and additional, we imagine, that dwell, military-grade ammunition, was fired in some unspecified time in the future, by individuals as but to be recognized.”

When requested underneath cross-examination to authenticate his assurance that the navy didn’t fireplace dwell ammunition on the EndSARS protesters however reasonably fired clean bullets into the skies with photographs of muzzle flashes, the witness affirmed that by his coaching and that of his crew members, he was 99.999% positive from his investigation that the bullets fired by the navy have been clean bullets.

Within the media report presentation of the investigation, the witness additionally defined that the movies and pictures alleged to be a bloodbath of #EndSARS protesters weren’t reflective of the fact as they have been deceptive and inaccurate representations of the actual fact.

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

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

Nevertheless, the witness admitted that the timeline between when the incident occurred and when his organisation launched into the investigation was one that may not have allowed for info and supplies related to the investigation to be preserved as they have been wish to have been misplaced and a few victims accidents healed or some victims absconding from accessing remedy from the place they could possibly be monitored.

Willie-Harry additionally affirmed that in a traditional scenario when such an incident happens, it’s applicable to protect the scene, however that this was not finished and it affected his investigation that he needed to depend on solely what he was ready get and introduced with.

Willie-Harry additionally mentioned that the crew reviewed 19 ballistic-related accidents, non-law enforcement grade ammunition-related accidents, and 23 medical accidents categorised as non-ballistic, non-fire arm-related accidents.

After his testimony, the professional witness was cross-examined by completely different legal professionals representing the police, LCC, #EndSARS protesters, and the Nigerian Bar Affiliation.

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

She mentioned the panel would retire to contemplate its ruling on the Lekki tollgate capturing and talk to events later when the ruling is prepared for supply.