Lekki Shootings: Sentinel Forensics Deny Indicting Army

Sentinel Forensics Limited has refuted reports making the rounds that the testimony of its expert witness indicted the Nigerian Army in the shooting of peaceful protesters at the Lekki toll plaza, during the EndSARS protests, on October 20, 2020.

The firm, in a statement, yesterday, said the testimony of the specialist that the live ammunition tendered as exhibited by the Nigerian Army were of the same type of cartridge and calibre as the ammunition casings tendered by the Judicial Panel did not translate to an indictment.

It said its role was not to ascribe innocence or guilt to anyone, but to assist the panel in its finding by providing analysis of physical evidence backed by empirical scientific procedures to draw objective conclusions and inferences and not hearsay or sensationalism.

It noted that its team of specialists inspected the scene about 87 days after the incident without finding any physical evidence supporting the allegations of discharge of live ammunition by Nigerian Army personnel.

It urged the press and all agencies of the mass media to desist from sensational reporting and always endeavour to reach them for comments on issues before publishing.