Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN), one of the members of the Lagos
State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Restitution for Victims of SARS Related
Abuses and other matters, has raised the alarm that members of the panel are
being unfairly persecuted by some state government officials over the report
that protesters were killed at the Lekki toll gate on October 20, 2020.
Adegboruwa made this known in a statement on Thursday
titled, ‘EndSARS Panel Members Are Being Unfairly Persecuted’.
Recall that the Justice Doris
Okuwobi-led panel submitted its report to the Lagos State Government, noting
that at least nine persons were confirmed dead at the Lekki toll plaza when
soldiers stormed the tollgate to disperse EndSARS protesters on October 20,
2020.
The 309-page report stated, “The atrocious maiming and
killing of unarmed, helpless and unresisting protesters while sitting on the
floor and waving their Nigerian flags and while singing the National Anthem can
be equated to a massacre in context.”
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who received the
report on Monday, constituted a Committee to bring forward a White Paper within
the next two weeks to be considered by the Lagos State Executive Council.
Many Nigerians have been outraged by the panel’s report
which is at variance with the consistent claim by the government that there was
no “massacre” at the toll gate, a focal gathering point during last year’s
nationwide demonstration against extrajudicial killings and police brutality by
operatives of the now-defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigeria Police
Force.
However, the panel members have also been commended for
standing for truth and justice in the face of intimidation.
In his statement, Adegboruwa said, “Since the submission of
the EndSARS Panel Report to the Governor of Lagos State on November 15, 2021,
members of the Panel have become subject of vicious attacks by those suspected
to be agents of the government.
“All manner of allegations have been heaped upon Panel
Members, some of who have been called unprintable names.
“I can confirm that no Member of the Panel lobbied to be
appointed into the Panel. As a matter fact in my own case, His Excellency, the
Governor of Lagos State, appealed to me to accept my appointment, which I saw
as a call to national service. The primary reason the Governor gave to me then
was that he wanted men and women of integrity, independent and not subject to
manipulation, to be on the Panel.
“Just today, my
attention has been drawn to an interview by a Senior Counsel to the Lagos State
Government, to the effect that Panel Members collected bribe in the course of
the assignment. It is unfair, ungodly and least expected of the government and
its lawyers.
“The Lagos State Government asked for two weeks to enable it
release a White Paper on the report submitted to it by the Panel. And we have
been waiting, but it would seem that the Lagos State Government has now
unleashed mindless propaganda upon Panel Members whilst at the same time asking
for restraint from the general public.
“I have in my custody, certified true copies of ALL
proceedings of the Panel and all exhibits tendered before the Panel in respect
of the Lekki Toll Gate Investigation. I urge the government to call its agents
and lawyers to order so as not to provoke aggravated responses.
“It is unfair to seek to denigrate peoples’ hard-earned
reputation on account only that they accepted to render selfless service at the
behest of government. If the government and its agents are not restrained from
attacking others, nothing stops us from defending our integrity.
“I should not become a victim of unwarranted attack just
because I accepted to serve the government and the outcome of that assignment
did not favour the expectations of the government. Suffice it to mention that I
worked with men and women of unblemished integrity and I’m proud to be
associated with them all.
“I, therefore, appeal to His Excellency the Governor of
Lagos State to call all agents of State to order and to keep to his promise to
us to release a White Paper within two weeks and to send the unedited report of
the Panel, to the National Economic Council.”
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com