Army says one of the looters in Lagos was arrested after installing the Air Conditioner he stole

The army says all recovered looted items have been returned to the rightful owners.

The Commander of 81 Military Intelligence Brigade, Victoria Island, Lagos, Brig. Gen. Ahmed Taiwo says one of the looters arrested during #EndSARS crisis in October had installed the air conditioner he stole before his arrest.

Ahmed said this when he appeared before the Lagos Judicial Panel on Saturday, November 14, 2020, to testify on the role of the military in the alleged shooting of peaceful protesters, who convened at Lekki tollgate.

It would be recalled that following the shooting incident, the protest turned violent in Lagos as hoodlums and looters hijacked the #EndSARS campaign to loot and destroy public and private facilities.

Taiwo said during the crisis, the army made a number of arrests in connection with the looting and destruction of properties in the state.

He said, “The business district areas of Lagos were looted — Marina, Cash N’ Carry and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA). Vehicles were burnt and offices ransacked. They were looking for money. Once a protest lasts three days, hoodlums will begin to make active plans to penetrate.

“They burnt places like Shoprite, SPAR (Lekki). I was on ground and what hurt me most was that women, men and children… mothers were taking their children to loot.

“At SPAR (Lekki), I met looters looting. These looters, I’m talking about almost 5,000 people, even had the temerity to walk up to us with looted goods and telling us ‘all correct, sir.’

“All the looters were arrested and taken to 65 battalion. We have virtually all tribes represented among those arrested.

“In one case, the man had looted things required for a house — doors and AC — and by the time we went to arrest him, he had already installed them.

“Any looter that was not arrested within SPAR (Lekki) and Shoprite (Circle Mall) was arrested with looted items on the road. It was a free-for-all.”

The army general said all recovered looted items have been returned to the rightful owners, who presented proof of ownership or receipts.