#LekkiMassacre: Buratai gave orders to deploy soldiers: Army General
![The Lagos panel of inquiry on #EndSARS. [CREDIT: Bella Naija]](https://gazettengr.com/wp-content/uploads/Lagos-panel-of-enquiry.jpg)
Ahmed Taiwo, a Nigerian Army brigadier-general, has told the Lagos judicial panel of inquiry, Chief Of Army Staff Tukur Buratai gave orders to deploy soldiers against protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate.
Mr. Taiwo said the order was issued at about 3:00 p.m. on October 20.
Mr. Taiwo also said to the panel that soldiers were given both live and blank bullets, before alert level Phase 4 was activated.
The military chief said Phase 4 is a directive enforced when police on the ground are overwhelmed and soldiers are needed to interfere.
He told the panel that it was activated due to reports of the protests being hijacked by hoodlums, saying it was also why live rounds were fired.
When asked if rules of engagement were followed, Mr. Taiwo said that no rules were used as the soldiers were under attack, contradicting the military headquarters narrative.
Mr. Buratai had previously insisted that the Nigerian Army acted professionally and kept to the rules of engagement in the handling the #ENDSARS protesters.
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