Brigadier General Francis Omata

Brigadier General Francis Omata who was alleged to have given the order for the Nigerian Army to open fire at unarmed protesters at Lekki Tollgate on Tuesday, October 20 has spoken up.

Omata denied the allegations, stating that he was only on the scene to ‘pull back the soldiers’. He also named the officer responsible; one Lt Col S. O. Bello of the 65 Battalion Bonny camp.

Brigadier General F.O Omata has been the subject of many discussions across social media as many Nigerians threatened to mete out on his family same pains he caused upon many families of the people that were killed.

In his defence, the Brigadier General said:

“I didn’t command the soldiers nor was there when shots were fired. I rushed to the scene and arrived about 39 mins after and identified myself and pull back the soldiers.

The soldiers were from there 65 Battalion Bonny camp led by their commanding officer, Lt Col S. O. Bello.

My only mistake was that when I got to the scene I was screaming my name to alert the soldiers about my presence and people at the scene picked that up and ran with it”. It was not me.

Lekki-VI toll gate has been the location of the peaceful #EndSARS protest where Nigerian youths are clamouring for an end to SARS, a Nigerian police unit which specializes in Anti Robbery cases.