Group backs US, UN over EndSARS Panel report, demands justice for victims

A human rights organization, the Centre for Human Rights and Social Justice (CHRSJ), has thrown its weight behind the authorities of United States of America (USA) and United Nations on the recent reports of Lagos State EndSARS Panel headed by Justice Doris Okuwobi (retired).

The rights group gave kudos to the authorities of the United States of America (USA) and United Nations, for their prompt responses to the reports, saluting the courage of the of American authority in particular, for standing with the truth and justice on the Lekki Tollgate Massacre since year 2020.

It would be recalled that the Lagos State Government under the leadership of Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, following the directive from President Muhammadu Buhari, set up a Panel for victims of SARS related abuses and other matters in the State which the panel was headed by a retired Justice of the State High Court, Justice Doris Okuwobi.

Justice Okuwobi submitted the panel reports to State Government of Sanwo-Olu on Monday at the Lagos House, Ikeja, where the panel declared that people were killed and injured at the Lekki Toll Gate on October 20, 2020, during the End SARS protests.

The Panel recommended for outright dismissal of Soldiers and Police deployed to the Lekki Tollgate on the fateful day of the saga.

The Lagos State Governor, Mr Sanwo-Olu, while receiving the reports, disclosed that the State Government would set up a four-member committee by Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN), to come up with a White Paper in two weeks, promising that the state government’s action would be guided by the law and in the public interest.

Reacting to the reports after an emergency monthly meeting to deliberate on the reports and State of the Nation on Friday in Lagos, recalling that on October 2020, CHRSJ noted that the Nigeria Army shot at the protesters at the Lekki Tollgate but the military in collaboration with the Federal Government, through Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Muhammed, had continued to deny the saga, despite account of witnesses and, including hospitals where the dead bodies were deposited and also where the victims received treatment.

The group, in a statement by its Executive Chairman, Comrade Adeniyi Alimi Sulaiman, lauded panel for opening the can of worms by allowing the truth and justice to prevail in its final reports.

CHRSJ alleged that Sanwo-Olu and Muhammed had earlier insisted that no killing took place at Lekki Tollgate and also insisted then that the men of Nigeria Army  were not involved in the killing of innocent protesters, adding that both Lagos State and Federal Government accused CNN and Amnesty International of misrepresentation on happenings at the Lekki Tollgate then; but to the glory of God, the State-sponsored Panel came out with the truth of the whole scenario by stating the numbers of deaths, the injured and missing persons.

CHRSJ advised Sanwo-Olu and Muhammed to voluntarily recuse themselves from their present position of authorities they were currently occupying in the interest of truth and justice.

The group urged the Governments at the Federal and State levels to ensure justice for the surviving victims and families of the dead persons as recommended by the panel.

•Lagos State EndSARS Panel Chairman, Justice Doris Okuwobi (Rtd), recently submitting the report to Governor Sanwo-Olu