By: Hurricane Dave
As the dust raised by the #EndSARS rampagers gradually settles, committees are being set up across the country to look into the claims of the “protesters” and find the best way to move the country from the chaos of the hoodlums. One of such committees that has been making so much headway is the Panel of Inquiry and Restitution set up by the Lagos state government to look into the allegations of police brutality and highhandedness by personnel of the now-defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
At the fourth sitting of the this panel, the managing director of the Lekki Concession Company, Mr Abayomi Omomuwansa, submitted the video footage recorded by the company’s surveillance camera on the night of October 20, when soldiers allegedly opened fire on unarmed #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki tollgate area in Lagos.
While making the submission, Mr Omomuwansa noted that their CCTV cameras stopped recording at 8 pm that fateful night due to network issue. This seems to be the official stand of LCC. However, according to insider reports, the CCTV cameras suddenly stopped working at 8 pm in observance of the curfew imposed by the government. He said, “Our cameras at the Lekki toll gate have a high sense of moral duty which includes obeying the laws of the land. It is not unprecedented that the cameras refused to work on the night of the curfew. How do you truly give your all for a country if you don’t obey all her rules?”
The panel has promised to get to the root of what happened at Lekki on the said day. They plan on doing this by listening to the statements of our politicians and top army officials, who are men of great integrity and will never lie.
However, the CCTV camera has awakened a lot of reactions in Nigeria, most of them positive ones. According to one of our source who choose to be anonymous, “Majority of the citizens of the country are really happy and in support of the actions of the law-abiding CCTV. It is a globally acknowledged fact that Nigerians are honest and law-abiding. It is now a thing of joy to see that our gadgets have imbibed our law abiding characteristics. That’s not a surprise anyway. Garbage in, garbage out.”
Another source; this time around, a highly-revered clergyman who also prefers to be anonymous (to avoid being brutalised by the #EndSARS hoodlums who have decided to declare war on the country with their hashtags against police brutality and nationwide prayer walks) said, “It is a time of great joy for our country and the body of Christ in the country. The incident is a testament to the practical application of our preaching in our lives.”
“We are assured that the CCTV camera is born again and, hence, shuns every act of disobedience. It is our hope that the #EndSARS hoodlums and other CCTV cameras across the country and the world at large will take a step in the right direction and follow the lead of the law-abiding CCTV. At this point, all eyes are on us,” the clergyman added.
We are keeping a close eye on the developments from that panel and hope to see more positive outcomes like this. As it stands, though, it is obvious that Nigeria is a country of obedient citizens. This image is quite vital as the world now places so much value on honesty and obedience.
I am Dave, the son of Iya David. Born to annoy ladies. Anywhere there is trouble, you hear my name on the lips of everyone. I am a Nigerian and I don’t see things as either black or white. Looking at things through my lens is like looking through rainbow-coloured spectacles.
