17 Things You Need To Know in the Report Submitted by Lagos EndSars Panel
Over the past year, the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Restitution for Victims of SARS Related Abuses and other matters has heard petitions on police brutality and has also investigated the contentious Lekki tollgate incident.
Finally, on Monday, November 15, the panel, led by a retired judge, Doris Okuwobi, submitted a 309-page report at the Governor’s Office in Alausa, Ikeja.
Following this, civil advocacy group, Enough is Enough Nigeria, released the report even though, the Lagos government has not done so.
In this report, Legit.ng brings you some key things in the report.
1. The October 20, 2020 shooting of unarmed protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate was a massacre
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2. Police and Army were involved in the shootings
3. Nine people are confirmed dead
4. Four people are presumed dead
5. 96 other corpses were presented by a forensic pathologist at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Prof John Obafunwa.
6. Many other people sustained various degree of injuries.
7. The total number of victims are 48 but could be more than that
8. Police officers attempted to cover up the shooting of protesters by picking up bullets
9. The protesters were peaceful and singing the National Anthem when they were attacked
10. Soldiers removed as many bodies and corpses of the fallen protesters, which they took away with their vans.
11. The shooting of the protesters by the Nigerian Army was unwarranted, excessive, provocative and unjustifiable
12. Lekki Concession Company (LCC) refused to provide vital evidence that would have aided its investigation and also manipulated the incomplete CCTV Video footage.
13. The panel recommended the sanctioning of the officers of the army and police who participated in the “shooting, injuring and killing of unarmed protestors.
14. The panel also recommended a public apology to #EndSARS protesters who were killed, injured, and traumatised by the incident.
15. The panel said the Divisional Police Officer of the Maroko Police Station along with policemen deployed from the Maroko Police Station should be prosecuted for arbitrary and indiscriminate shooting and killing of protesters.
16. The panel recommended that the Lekki Toll Plaza be made a memorial site for the protest by renaming it the #EndSARS Tollgate
17. The panel recommended that October 20 of every year be made a “toll-free day” at the plaza as long as the tollgate exists.
Action governor: Sanwo-Olu begins serious work on Lagos EndSARS panel's reports
The Lagos state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Monday, November 15, announced his reception of the reports of the EndSARS commission of inquiry.
Via his Instagram page, Governor Sanwo-Olu expressed his gratitude to the chairman of the panel Justice Doris Okuwobi and his members for their service.
The governor noted that in order to ensure swift implementation of the recommendations made in the report, his administration has set up a four-member committee led by the Lagos state attorney-general and commissioner for Justice, Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN) to raise a white paper.
He disclosed that members of the committee are: the commissioner for youths and social development, Segun Dawodu; his special adviser on works and infrastructure, Engr. Aramide Adeyoye and permanent secretary, cabinet office, Tolani Oshodi.
Source: Legit.ng