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Tag: #EndSARS Report

  • #EndSARS judicial panel members react to Sanwo-Olu’s White Paper, responses to recommendations

    #EndSARS judicial panel members react to Sanwo-Olu’s White Paper, responses to recommendations

    A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa has promised a “no-holds-barred” response -at the appropriate time – to the White Papers released by the Lagos State Government on the Reports of the #EndSARS Judicial Panel of Inquiry (JPI).

    Adegboruwa, a member of the panel, said no member of the panel was informed of the release of the White Papers by the government neither were they given copies of the documents.

    In a statement titled “#EndSARS panel report: the siege is over”, he accused the government of creating the wrong impression of financial impropriety against panel members to distract the public.

    Adegboruwa said: “Since November 15, 2021, when the Reports of the #EndSARS Judicial Panel were submitted to the Lagos State Government, a good number of my colleagues, friends and admirers prevailed on me to refrain from further public pronouncements on the activities and reports of the Panel since the government was studying the said reports.

    “Upon the submission of the said reports, lawyers on the payroll of the government and other employees of the government took turns to denigrate the reports, on national television, in paid adverts in newspapers and on the social media.

    “Ministers in the Cabinet of the Federal Government have also commented on the said reports, in some cases calling members of the Panel unprintable names and even comparing victims of brutality and human rights abuses to goats and taunting their already traumatized families and friends.

    “On November 30, 2021, the government released two separate White Papers, to the general public. The Panel was not informed of this action and it was not availed copies of the said White Papers, till this moment.

    “The Committee that reviewed the Reports of the Panel and which produced the White Papers was headed by the Honourable Attorney-General of Lagos State.

    “On December 1, 2021, the Honourable Attorney-General of Lagos State was a guest on Arise Television, where he took time to discuss the Reports of the Panel and the contents of the White Papers that his Committee produced. The impression was also created that the Panel mismanaged funds released to it.

    “It has become necessary therefore for me and all other Members of the Panel to study the White Papers and make appropriate responses thereto. There will be no-holds-barred, since the government itself has opened the doors for public scrutiny of the report and the white papers.

    “For the records, the Panel relied upon the evidence of witnesses, documents tendered before it and the goodwill of the people of Nigeria, throughout its assignment.

    “It is painful for me and the Panel that the government is creating the wrong impression of financial impropriety as a tool of distraction when the Panel had a Secretariat that managed all its funds, through the Ministry of Justice.

    “Although I served on the Panel free of charge without collecting a dime, I know as a fact that other members served sacrificially, giving up their time, families and careers for a whole year.

    “At the appropriate time, we will respond to all the inaccuracies, the coverups and the inconsistencies contained in the White Papers released by the government.

    “Assuredly, nothing can ever cover the truth. What happened at the Lekki Toll Gate on October 20, 2020, was already in the public domain, those who received the bullets knew what happened and the doctors that treated them knew what happened. The Panel reports only confirmed what most Nigerians already knew.”

  • White Paper: Bit-by-bit responses of Lagos Government to 32 recommendations of #EndSARS Judicial Panel

    White Paper: Bit-by-bit responses of Lagos Government to 32 recommendations of #EndSARS Judicial Panel

    The Lagos State Government on Tuesday evening released and published two White Papers on the Judicial Panel of Inquiry it set up to investigate matters relating to police brutality (#EndSARS) in the state.

    One of the White Papers focused on the JPI’s report on the Lekki Toll Gate incident of October 20, 2020.

    A leaked version of the JPI report had indicted the Nigerian Army and the Lagos state government in the killing of unarmed protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate and a subsequent cover-up.

    But, in its White Paper, the Lagos state government maintained that there was no massacre at the Toll Gate and denied orchestrating a cover-up.

    Below are the 32 recommendations of the JPI and how the State Government responded:

    1. The Panel recommended that the police should be adequately funded, effectively trained, and provided with the requisite accouterments and equipment. It also recommended a better and more harmonised communication system with all security apparatus of the state; and better welfare packages for police officers, including improved salary, well-equipped offices, provision of decent accommodation, and transportation

    LASG says it notes this recommendation and will forward this recommendation to the Federal Government and other necessary agencies. It adds that it has supported and will continue to support the Lagos Command of the Nigeria Police Force through the Lagos State Security Trust Fund.

    2. The Panel recommends disciplinary action to the following officers – Lt Col S.O Bello and Major General Godwin Umelo, who refused to honour its summons in order to frustrate the investigation.

    LASG notes it will forward this recommendation to the Federal Government, the National Economic Council, and Nigerian Army for their consideration.

    3. The Panel recommends that all officers (excluding Major General Omata) men of the Nigerian Army that were deployed to the Lekki Toll gate on October 20, 2020, should be made to face appropriate disciplinary action, stripped of their status, and dismissed as they are not fit and proper to serve in any public or security service of the nation.

    LASG notes that the Nigerian Army is an organisation that has its own disciplinary procedures and processes as set down by law, over which it has no control. Nevertheless, it will forward this recommendation to appropriate authorities for their consideration and action.

    4. The Panel recommends that all those arrested in the course of the protest should be granted bail, prosecuted for any offence that may be alleged against them, or where no prima facie evidence of culpability is disclosed upon due investigation, they should be released forthwith.

    LASG notes that the issue of grant of bail is a matter within the exclusive preserve of the Judiciary, but notes the recommendation.

    5. The panel recommends that the Nigeria Army be discouraged from intervening in internal security.

    LASG notes that section 217(2)(c) of the constitution states that the Armed Forces may “intervene to suppress insurrection and also to assist civil authorities to restore lawful order” which had clearly broken down in Lagos between 19th – 21st October 2020. Such intervention must however be with clear rules of engagement, it adds.

    6. The panel, having found that the use of social media played significant role in escalating the crises and appeals for restraint in spreading unverified pieces of information to the general public.

    LASG agrees with this recommendation and notes that the incident at Lekki Toll Gate on October 20, 2020, was exacerbated by indiscriminate dissemination of unverified accounts of the events of that day. It says it will launch a campaign to sensitise the public on the use of social media and the inherent dangers in its abuse.

    7. The Panel commends several hospitals and all the medical personnel that attended to the victims of gunshot wounds at the Lekki Toll Gate and treated all of them free of charge. The Panel recommends them for special awards by the Lagos State and Federal Governments.

    LASG notes that it commends all medical personnel and hospitals that treated citizens who suffered injuries during the protest. However, it disagrees that hospitals treated victims of gunshot wounds from Lekki Toll Gate in the light of the evidence before the Judicial Panel of Inquiry (JPI), that only one person suffered gunshot injury from Lekki Toll Gate at 7:43 pm on October 21, 2020.

    8. The Panel recommends that the commitment made to the hospitals by the Lagos State Government through the Governor and the Commissioner for Health for the payment of the hospital bills of the #EndSARS protesters should be fulfilled.

    LASG notes that it has paid all hospitals. It however commends Reddington Hospital which rendered its services free of charge.

    9. The Panel recommends that the DPO of Maroko Police Station along with policemen deployed from the station on October 20 and 21, 2021 be prosecuted for arbitrary and indiscriminate shooting and killing of protesters.

    LASG notes that even though the evidence before the JPI does not establish arbitrary and indiscriminate killing of protesters at Lekki Toll Gate, it will request the police to further investigate the matter and furnish the Director of Public Prosecutions in Lagos State with the case file of the matter within 90 days. It also enjoined members of the public who have credible evidence of the allegations against the DPO of Maroko Police Station and policemen deployed from there to submit such evidence to the office of the DPP within the same time frame.

    10. The Panel recommends that a Grievance Address mechanism should be improved upon to engender speedy attention and action.

    LASG accepts this recommendation and will intensify its effort to engage the youths as it has been doing through the Youth/Police Dialogue and Youth Peaceful Conflict Resolution programme.

    11. The Panel recommends that Government should engage regularly with youths and be proactive and responsive when tense situations arise.

    LASG accepts this recommendation and will intensify efforts to engage the youths and be proactive in all situations. It adds that dialogue with youths is ongoing and is a continuous process.

    12. The panel recommends that curfew regulations should be widely publicised.

    LASG accepts this recommendation.

    13. The panel recommends reorientation and training of police and security personnel on the handling of crime scenes.

    LASG notes that it will forward the recommendation to the Federal Government for consideration and also reaffirms its commitment to resuscitate the Lagos DNA & Forensic Centre (one of whose components is a Crime Scene Lab) looted and destroyed during the October 21, 2020 carnage.

    14. The Panel recommends that Coroner inquests and autopsies should be done in cases of suspicious death within a maximum of one month of occurrence of the incident.

    LASG notes that there is already in place a robust Coroner Systems law in the state.

    15. The Panel recommends that there should be guidelines and standard procedures for mortuaries on information to be requested and documentation is done in cases of bodies brought to them.

    LASG says it notes that it has in place standard operating procedures for mortuaries, but in the light of lessons learned during the protests and its aftermath, it will improve on its SOPs in line with best practices.

    16. The Panel recommends training of health officials, particularly LASEHMU.

    LASG says it accepts and will provide further training and capacity building for its health officials, particularly Lagos State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit (LASEHMU).

    17. The Panel recommends training and retraining of all security officials, including Civil defense, Police and the Army on rules of engagement and management of protest.

    LASG notes it will forward the recommendation to the Federal Government for consideration. It adds that it is committed to continuous training of its law enforcement agencies.

    18. The Panel recommends that the situation of the integrity of the scene of the incident must be preserved and items of physical evidence should not be removed between the time-lapse from the incident and scene examination in any other situation.

    LASG accepts this recommendation and will forward the recommendation to the Federal Government for consideration. It also reaffirmed its commitment to resuscitating the Lagos DNA & Forensic Centre.

    19. The Panel recommends that the Lekki Toll Plaza be made a memorial site for #EndSARS protest, by renaming to ‘#EndSARS Toll Gate.’

    LASG notes that it will designate a park in the State and name it ‘Peace Park’ to serve as a reminder to citizens of the peaceful protest all over the State against abuse of human rights.

    20. The Panel recommends that October 20 should be designated as “Toll Free Day” at the Lekki Toll Gate as long as the tollgate exists.

    LASG notes that in the spirit of healing and reconciliation, it accepts the recommendation.

    21. The Panel recommends that October 20 should be made #EndSARS day nationally for the remembrance of our fallen youth.

    LASG notes that it has no powers to declare any day as a national day and adds that the recommendation will be forwarded to the Federal Government.

    22. The Panel recommends that for the purpose of restitution, healing, and reconciliation, the Federal Government needs to publicly apologise to the youth for abruptly undermining the protest with their state actors.

    LASG says it notes and will forward the recommendation to the Federal Government for consideration.

    23. The Panel recommends that the government should do all it can to bridge the gap of distrust with the Youth.

    LASG accepts this recommendation and notes that the process has already commenced.

    24. The Panel recommends that a monument memorialising the lives lost and those injured at the Lekki Toll Gate with the names inscribed on the Monument.

    LASG notes that this recommendation is not acceptable to it because it is unable to accept the finding that nine people died at Lekki Toll Gate on October 20, 2020. It also notes that there was no massacre at Lekki Toll Gate, contextual or otherwise. It adds that the finding of the JPI that nine people died from gunshots fired by the Military are based on assumptions and speculations.

    25. The Panel recommends the establishment of a standing committee to bridge the gap between the society and the police via information gathering, community engagement, youth sensitisation, prompt intervention on issues that require intelligence-led policing, and community policing principles for the review and action of the State Commissioner of Police.

    LASG notes and will forward the recommendation to the Federal Government and National Economic Council.

    26. The Panel recommends that the scrutiny of all disciplinary processes of the Nigerian Army and the police be made transparent and outcomes made public periodically.

    LASG says it notes and will forward the recommendation to the Federal Government and National Economic Council.

    27. The Panel recommends that the Complaint Response Unit of the Police at the FHQ must be reinforced to scale up its national responsibilities in prompt engagement and treating public complaints against erring officers across the country to avoid conflagration.

    LASG says it notes and will forward the recommendation to the Federal Government and National Economic Council.

    28. The Panel recommends that any data that may have been generated over the years on the impunity of the police across Nigeria be studied and deployed as early warning signs (EWS) mechanism.

    LASG says it notes and will forward the recommendation to the Federal Government and the National Economic Council.

    29. The Panel recommends that compensation to the victims in cases emanating from the Lekki incident of October 20 be facilitated and promptly distributed to ensure justice is served and seen to be served for accelerated healing to win the peace and build public trust.

    LASG says it notes and will forward the recommendation to the Federal Government and the National Economic Council.

    30. The Panel recommends a special trust fund for compensation of victims of the Lekki Toll Gate incident of October 20, 2020, and other established and proven human rights abuses.

    LASG says it will take steps to forward the recommendation to the Federal Government and the National Economic Council.

    31. The Panel recommends that the Lagos State Assembly should set up a standing Human Rights Committee or Tribunal made up of representatives of the Nigeria Police, Ministry of Justice, National Human Rights Commission, Office of the Public Defender, Legal Aid Council, CSOs, and other relevant stakeholders with a mandate to receive and make determinations in respect of complaints made against the Nigerian police and other security agencies.

    LASG notes that it will take appropriate legislative actions to establish a standing Human Rights Committee comprising of members of civil society, the Nigerian Bar Association, Office of Public Defender, and security agencies.

    32. The Panel recommends that all petitions filed before the panel but that could not be heard due to time constraints should be channeled through the Ministry of Justice to the Standing Human Rights Committee or Tribunal.

    LASG says it notes and accepts this recommendation.

  • BREAKING: Sanwo-Olu breaks silence on Lagos #EndSARS report, to release whitepaper later today [Full Speech]

    BREAKING: Sanwo-Olu breaks silence on Lagos #EndSARS report, to release whitepaper later today [Full Speech]

    Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Tuesday said his government was committed to justice and truth as it relates to the report of the state’s #EndSARS panel.

    The panel submitted its report on November 15, although the state government is yet to make its contents public with a White Paper expected today (Tuesday).

    However, a leaked version of the report indicted the Nigerian Army and the Lagos state government in the killing of unarmed protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate and a subsequent cover-up.

    It is not yet clear how the report was leaked.

    Sanwo-Olu, commenting on the report, said the leakage was “regrettable”.

    “While I commend the panel for undertaking its task to the best of its abilities, it is however regrettable that the panel’s work and the leakage of an unauthorized version of the report have generated much tension. Sadly, a deep wound has been reopened,” he said.

    “The heated exchanges among various shades of opinion on the report have unfortunately put us all at the risk of missing the larger picture; the fact that what we all seek in common is a land in which we are all safe and secure, law enforcement agents are trusted, and justice is guaranteed for all.

    “As I have stated earlier, we have no intention to engage in histrionics or further inflame passion on a matter that has generated intense interest and controversy nationally and internationally. Our decisions and actions will be based entirely on the law, the weight of evidence, and an unblemished respect for the truth.”

     

    Read the Governor’s full speech:

    GOVERNOR BABAJIDE SANWO-OLU’S SPEECH TO THE PEOPLE OF LAGOS STATE ON THE LEKKI TOLLGATE INCIDENT – DELIVERED ON TUESDAY 30 NOVEMBER, 2021.

    My dear good people of Lagos State,
    It is with great sense of responsibility that I address you today on the reactions that have trailed the release of the #EndSARS Judicial Panel of Inquiry Report submitted to me two weeks ago, and how it has played out in public discourse since then.
    I believe — and have always been vocal about this — that we owe it to you, the people of Lagos, to constantly speak and engage with you. In easy times, in difficult circumstances, we will never shy away from making our case to you, while also ensuring that we listen to you.
    I will start by saying that we, as an administration, are determined that the next steps that will be taken in this process of coming to terms with the events of October 2020, must bring closure to a painful episode in the history of our State, with the release of the White Paper later today.
    This, in my view, is a moment that beckons us to define who and what we are as a people.
    To be a Centre of Excellence, we must be a Centre of Truth. To be a smart city, we first must be a just one. To be a prosperous state, we must establish ourselves as a peaceful entity. And to achieve the Greater Lagos of our dreams we must learn to live in harmony, even amidst inevitable disagreement.
    In times like these, with anger and animosity too quick and fast at hand, it is easy to hide behind our own prejudices, treating them as deeper truths instead of the superficial lies they are.
    It is far too easy to take sides and choose emotion over fact, even when the truth is to be found in shades of nuance. It is easy to choose darkness over light; to take perverse delight in playing unhelpful games of cynicism and suspicion; to cling to beliefs that do not carry the weight of verifiable evidence.
    To become a champion of prejudice is to own a fleeting and false victory. It is a victory of rancor over reason, of vengeance over justice, of anger over compassion.
    Today, I stand before you to declare that I reject this path; and I invite you all to do same.
    The choice confronting us today is between restoring greater harmony or doing greater harm. I choose harmony over harm. As your Governor, it is my task to explain why all Lagosians should join me on this path that promises a more beneficial future.
    Fellow Lagosians, let me at this point bring to the fore some very important context that we must never lose sight of. You will recall that the Judicial Panel of Inquiry was originally inaugurated to investigate allegations of police brutality committed by the disbanded SARS in Lagos state.
    In the aftermath of what happened on October 20, 2020, I decided to expand the mandate of the Panel to include investigating what really happened at the Lekki Tollgate that night.
    As a matter of good faith and a sincere commitment to uncovering the truth, we constituted a panel of individuals that we believed were independent, credible, and representative of the various stakeholder community interested in the movement against police brutality.
    Apart from the Chairman of the panel being a respected retired jurist, various stakeholders including the youths, #EndSars protesters, the police and civil society groups were represented on the panel.
    I am sure no member of the panel can claim that the state government made any attempt to influence them in any way throughout the duration of its sitting.
    While I commend the panel for undertaking its task to the best of its abilities, it is however regrettable that the panel’s work and the leakage of an unauthorized version of the report have generated much tension. Sadly, a deep wound has been reopened.
    The heated exchanges among various shades of opinion on the report have unfortunately put us all at the risk of missing the larger picture; the fact that what we all seek in common is a land in which we are all safe and secure, law enforcement agents are trusted, and justice is guaranteed for all.
    As I have stated earlier, we have no intention to engage in histrionics or further inflame passion on a matter that has generated intense interest and controversy nationally and internationally. Our decisions and actions will be based entirely on the law, the weight of evidence and an unblemished respect for the truth.
    Let me at this juncture say that I have never been in any doubt as to the sincerity, patriotism and noble motivations of both organizers of and participants in the movement to see an end to the human rights abuses by the now disbanded Special Anti- Robbery Squad (SARS).
    It is also on record that the Federal Government accepted all the demands of the protesters, including the immediate scrapping of SARS. The National Economic Council (NEC) also recommended the establishment of State Panels of Inquiry into cases of police brutality. And the Lagos State Government was the first to set up its own panel.
    I can boldly say that no State took the advocacy for police reforms and justice in the face of documented brutality more seriously than we did in Lagos. We have so far paid N420million in compensation to victims of police brutality, in line with the recommendations of the panel.
    My good people of Lagos State, you will also recall that, in solidarity with the protesters, I joined our youths at various points during the demonstrations, particularly at the Lekki Tollgate and Alausa.
    I received the charter of demands of the protesters and promised to pass them on to the President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Muhammadu Buhari.
    I kept my word and passed on the demands to the President, who promised to act promptly on the issues raised.
    However, perhaps as a result of entrenched lack of trust between the government and the governed over the years, the protesters responded to the government’s concessions with skepticism, and the demonstrations continued, even growing in intensity.
    Regrettably, what had been very well organized and peaceful protests were subsequently hijacked in different parts of the country, particularly in Lagos.
    In the ensuing descent into anarchy, many of our compatriots were caught up in the violence. Several policemen were killed. Public and private property, including critical infrastructure, were set on fire, leading to losses estimated at several billions of naira.
    At that point, I imposed a curfew to restore normalcy in Lagos. We had only one goal in mind: the maintenance of law and order, and protection of citizens going about their daily lives. This is more than a legal duty. It is a sacred obligation under the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which I swore to uphold.
    In my inaugural speech on May 29, 2019, I said:
    “Let us explore how we can establish a harmony of interests and avoid the growing tendency to focus on those things that differentiate and divide one Lagosian from another. By dint of providence, this small tract of land intersected and surrounded by waterways and lagoons has become home to roughly twenty-two million people, with their various dreams and aspirations.”
    It is my earnest desire that all of us — the government, the youth, protesters, the police, and other security agencies — learn the appropriate lessons from the #EndSars protests, particularly the Lekki Tollgate incident, with a view to averting any recurrence to the detriment of our dear state.
    It is a testimony to our strength and resilience as a people that, despite the huge losses incurred because of these terrible incidents, we have bounced back, with our economy as vibrant and virile as ever. I have no doubt whatsoever that our prospects are as bright as ever and the best lies ahead of Lagos State and Nigeria.
    My Dear Lagosians, let me remind you of our collective strength as a people. We are that social collective who through the resilience of our Spirit confronted an unseen enemy called Covid- 19. In our common resolve, we overcame the worst of the pandemic.
    We are the great people who triumphed over the terrible explosion at Ado-Soba, an incident in which many lives and property were lost. Just a month ago, we rose above the differences in our tribes and tongues; we rallied our inner strength to rescue survivors of the collapsed Ikoyi building and console those who lost their loved ones.
    THE TESTAMENT TO THE RESILIENCE OF OUR SPIRIT RESTS IN HOW WE RISE AFTER EVERY ADVERSITY. THIS IS WHO WE ARE. THIS IS THE TRUE SPIRIT OF LAGOS.
    Our resilient and irrepressible spirit also propels us to show our empathetic nature in the face of tribulations has long defined us as a people; and is also at the root of the just clamor for an end to Police brutality.
    Going forward, dear Lagosians, we shall facilitate better communication between our youths and the state’s security machinery to resolve issues before they become intractable. We will make it easier for our young people to initiate formal complaints on human rights violations through the Ministry of Justice.
    We will also improve the coordination between the state government and the security agencies, including the police and the military. In this vein, we are studying how to improve security policy formulation, information sharing, and clarifying rules of engagement in times of social unrest.
    Just as we have established a mechanism to compensate all those who lost homes, businesses, and livelihoods to the violent destruction of October 2020, we shall also establish a detailed procedure for the just compensation of citizens with verified claims of police brutality committed during the protests.
    In December, I will be leading A WALK FOR PEACE to herald the healing of our land. Let me use this occasion to extend an open invitation to our youths, members of the diplomatic corps, civil society groups, students and the media as well as other stakeholders to join me.
    FOLARIN FALANA (FALZ). DEBO ADEBAYO (MR. MARCARONI). DELE FAROTIMI. TEMITOPE MAJEKODUNMI. SEGUN AWOSANYA(SEGALINKS). ADETOUN (JUST DETOUN). SEUN KUTI. CP HAKEEM ODUMOSU. CSP YINKA EGBEYEMI.
    JOIN ME ON THIS HISTORIC MARCH FOR OUR DEAR LAGOS. NOBODY WILL BUILD THIS CITY FOR US. LET US SHOW THE WORLD WHO WE ARE. WE ARE LAGOSIANS. A PEOPLE OF GREAT RENOWN, DRIVEN BY THE IRREPRESSIBLE SPIRIT OF LAGOS.
    God bless Lagos State
    God bless Federal Republic of Nigeria.
    BABAJIDE OLUSOLA SANWO-OLU
    GOVERNOR OF LAGOS STATE
    NOVEMBER 29, 2021.
  • Lagos #EndSARS report and FG’s response, By Ehichioya Ezomon

    Lagos #EndSARS report and FG’s response, By Ehichioya Ezomon

    By Ehichioya Ezomon
    Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, is a stickler for his beliefs, who doesn’t shirk his responsibility of promoting and defending the interests of the government and all its organs.
    Once he takes a position on any issue or situation, no matter how unsavoury, he maintains it to the end, and leaves no inch of space for his critics or traducers to manoeuvre out of a logjam.
    He’s mastered the art of trolling, and labelling the news media, especially some global and online media, as propagators of “fake news” that’s held the social media in a vice grip.
    And Alhaji Mohammed was in his elements in the past week following a leak of the yet-to-be-studied-and-sanctioned report on the Lagos #EndSARS Judicial Panel of Inquiry.
    He slammed CNN that he says committed a double faux pas by “relying on unverified social media stories and videos to carry out an investigation of the Oct. 20th, 2020, incident at Lekki,” and “rushing to the air to celebrate an unsigned and unverified report…,” and a section of the Nigerian media for joining “the lynch mob.”
    Certainly, the release of the report puts wind to the sails of the civil society organisations, the arrowheads of the nationwide protests over indiscriminate police brutality of Nigerians.
    Daily, members of the dreaded State Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), an arm of the Nigeria Police, singled out youths to harass, molest, detain, maim or kill on mostly flimsy and trumped-up allegations.
    Only a few of the SARS cases ended up in the courts, but majority was settled with brute force in their dungeons, leaving survivals with bruises, broken bones, lost eyes or limbs, and extortion of millions in local and foreign currencies from the victims or their relations.
    So, the call to arm, to stop the notorious and dehumanising acts of the police, gave birth to the #EndSARS movement that gathered steam across Nigeria in mid October 2020.
    The weeks-long protests therefrom culminated in the reported military shooting and killing of unspecified number of the protesters at the Lekki Tollgate in Lagos on October 20.
    The global outrage over the shooting, the crackdown on protesters, and protesters’ looting and destruction of property, and attacks on security operatives resulted in President Muhammadu Buhari’s order for a thorough probe by state governments.
    As Lagos is the epicentre of anything happening in Nigeria – indeed it borne the brunt of the protests and their aftermaths – all eyes were on the Judicial Panel of Inquiry instituted by the Lagos State government of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
    Named the ‘Lagos State Panel of Inquiry on Restitution of Victims of SARS Abuses and Other Related Matters and Lekki Toll Gate Shooting,’ the panel, on November 22, 2021, turned in its report of two documents – a consolidated report on cases of police brutality and another on the Lekki shooting.
    Governor Sanwo-Olu thereafter set up a four-man committee to examine the documents within two weeks and “bring forward the White Paper” to be considered by the state executive council.
    But hours later, a version of the 309-page documents appeared in the media, hollering that the report “corroborated” what a critical section of the society had made of the Lekki shooting as a “massacre” of defenceless Nigerians protesting police brutality.
    The report of the panel concludes that the “killing of unarmed protesters by soldiers on October 20, 2020, could be described in the context of a ‘massacre’,” thus eliciting mixed reactions.
    As the pro-protesters rolled out the drums in celebration of the report for “corroborating our position ab initio,” the government has spotted “errors” in the panel’s work, particularly the phrasal depiction of the Lekki shooting as a “massacre in context.”
    That, and several aspects give Mohammed the leeway to lampoon the report as “simply a rehash of the unverified fake news that has been playing on social media since the incident of Oct. 20th 2020.”
    Unlike past panel reports, Mohammed says the Lagos#EndSARS report is “riddled with so many errors, inconsistencies, discrepancies, speculations, innuendoes, omissions and conclusions that are not supported by evidence.”
    At a press conference in Abuja on November 23, the Minister listed such anomalies to include:
    * That the Judicial Panel concocts a “massacre in context” as a euphemism for “massacre,” whereas a massacre is a massacre. * The panel throws away the testimony of ballistic experts, who testified before it. * The panel is silent on the family members of those reportedly killed, merely insinuating they were afraid to testify. * That a man, who reported seeing the lifeless body of his brother, himself ended up on the list of the panel’s deceased persons. * The panel lists fictitious names of some casualties as numbers 3 (Jide), 42 (Tola) and 43 (Wisdom). * The report doesn’t mention the cases of brutally-murdered police personnel or the destruction of police stations, vehicles, etc. * The report doesn’t make recommendations for innocent victims killed, nor innocent people whose businesses were attacked and destroyed in Lagos.
    Noting that the panel was “too busy looking for evidence to support its conclusion of ‘massacre in context,’” Mohammed declares: “It is clear, from the ongoing, that the report of the panel in circulation cannot be relied upon because its authenticity is in doubt.
    “Besides, the Lagos State Government, being the convening authority, has yet to release any official report to the public. Neither has the panel done so… It is basic knowledge that the report of such a panel is of no force until the convening authority issues a White Paper and Gazette on it.
    “It is therefore too premature for any person or entity to seek to castigate the Federal Government and its agencies or officials based on such an unofficial and unvalidated report.”
    Love or hate him, discerning minds will agree with Mohammed’s summation of the report of the Judicial Panel, especially on the alleged military “massacre” of protesters at the Lekki Tollgate that overshadowed the angst over police brutality of Nigerians.
    The panel was expected to produce an impeachable and irrefutable evidence of the shooting incident that reportedly claimed scores of lives, but which the government and military have refuted.
    Perhaps, the nearest the panel got to validating the “mass murder” of Nigerians at the Lekki Tollgate is its conclusion of a “massacre in context,” whatever that means in an investigative report.
    That unexplained “massacre in context” got many scratching their heads, as to the diligence of the judicial panel that awarded millions in compensation to victims of police brutality, but none to security personnel that were victims of the protests, and the people and institutions whose property were destroyed in the process.
    Hence the controversy trailing the report, and allegations of fresh threats, and attacks on some leaders and backers of the protests are a gift of some sorts to the government and Lai Mohammed.
    Mr. Ezomon, Journalist and Media Consultant, writes from Lagos, Nigeria.
  • #EndSARS Report: Group drags Buhari to court, seeks arrest of indicted security personnel

    #EndSARS Report: Group drags Buhari to court, seeks arrest of indicted security personnel

    The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to compel President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure the arrest of security operatives involved in the shooting of peaceful #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki tollgate, and police brutality cases.

    Young Nigerians had converged at the Lekki tollgate on October 20, 2020, demanding good governance in the country and an end to police brutality before they were reportedly shot at by security operatives.

    A year after, a leaked report by the Lagos Judicial Panel of Inquiry on police brutality set up by the state government to probe the incident had indicted the officers for shooting “unarmed helpless and defenseless protesters, without provocation or justification.”

    But SERAP in a statement on Sunday by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, said the lawsuit was filed in collaboration with 116 concerned Nigerians.

    The group wants the court to “direct and compel President Muhammadu Buhari to take immediate steps to ensure the arrest of soldiers and police officers indicted by the Lagos #EndSARS panel report for the shooting of peaceful protesters at the Lekki toll-gate, and police brutality cases.”

    In the suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1482/2021 filed last Friday, SERAP is also asking the court to “direct and compel President Buhari to bring to justice anyone suspected to be responsible for the shooting of peaceful protesters, and to ensure access to justice and effective remedies for victims, including adequate compensation.”

    “It is in the interest of justice to grant this application, as it would improve respect for Nigerians’ rights, the rule of law, and public confidence in government institutions, as well as reduce the growing culture of impunity of perpetrators,” the statement read.

    “The safety of protesters in Nigeria remains as precarious as ever, and impunity for crimes against them is growing. Impunity emboldens perpetrators. A failure to bring to justice those indicted for the shooting of peaceful protesters is, in itself, a violation of the rights to life and human dignity.”

    “The flagrant lack of accountability for past violations of the rights of protesters has given rise to a growing sense of powerlessness, and resentment not only among victims and their families but among the general public.”

    According to the group, the failure to promptly arrest, and bring to justice those suspected to be responsible for the shooting of peaceful protesters, and to ensure access to justice and effective remedies for victims and their families amounts to a travesty of justice, as justice delayed is justice denied.

    Joined in the suit as Respondent is the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN.

    While seeking an order to compel Buhari to ensure that those still being detained solely for peacefully exercising their human rights are immediately and unconditionally released, and all charges against them are dropped, SERAP also wants the President to ensure full and effective respect for the human rights of everyone across the country, including the rights to life, dignity, freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and association.

    The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare and Opeyemi Owolabi, read in part: “The Buhari administration has the constitutional responsibility to allow victims of human rights violations to find out the truth in regard to acts committed, to know who the perpetrators of such acts are, and to obtain justice and adequate compensation.”

    “The right to life is an inherent, core, and non-derogable human right, regardless of the circumstances, and even in times of armed conflict or states of emergency. Summary, extrajudicial, or arbitrary executions are clearly prohibited under the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 [as amended] and international law.

    “The UN Principles on the Effective Prevention and Investigation of Extra-Legal, Arbitrary, and Summary Executions affirm that ‘extra-legal, arbitrary, and summary executions’ cannot be carried out under any circumstances.’

    “According to the principles, ‘governments shall prohibit orders from superior officers or public authorities authorizing or inciting other persons to carry out any such extra-legal, arbitrary or summary executions. All persons shall have the right and the duty to defy such orders.’

    “International law requires that the use of lethal force, such as firearms, is an ‘extreme measure’ that should only be considered when strictly necessary in order to protect life or prevent serious injury from an imminent threat.

    “Articles 2(1) and 2(3) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Nigeria is a state party require State Parties to ‘undertake to respect and ensure’ and provide effective remedies for violations of the rights in the Covenant.

    “The remedies must be accessible and effective remedies and take into account the special vulnerability of certain categories of person.

    “The General Assembly of the United Nations adopted a set of principles relating to states’ obligations to the victims of serious violations of international human rights law that makes clear that states are obligated to investigate violations of international human rights law thoroughly and impartially, and where appropriate, take action against those allegedly responsible.

    “States also have the duty to investigate and, if there is sufficient evidence, the duty to submit to prosecution the person allegedly responsible for violations.

    “President Buhari has a constitutional duty, being the Chief Executive Officer of the Federation and the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, to ensure access to justice and effective remedies for victims, and that there is no impunity for allegations of human rights violations.”

    The suit followed the submission of the Lagos #EndSARS panel report on the Lekki shooting incident and police brutality cases to the state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu. The leaked report is said to have indicted some soldiers and police officers for “the shooting of protesters, leading to grievous injuries and deaths.

    The panel reportedly found that “the shooting of protesters at the Lekki toll-gate on October 20, 2020, was unwarranted, excessive, provocative and unjustifiable in the circumstances of the state of the protests, which was peaceful and orderly.”

    No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.

  • #EndSARS report: Why Buhari should call Lai Mohammed to order now – Femi Falana

    #EndSARS report: Why Buhari should call Lai Mohammed to order now – Femi Falana

    Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to call the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed to order now.

    The popular lawyer and activist said this in a statement on Wednesday in reaction to the remarks of the minister on the report of the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Restitution for Victims of SARS Related Abuses and other matters.

    Falana noted that President Buhari had told United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, during a meeting recently that state governments would have to take steps on the reports of their panels before the Federal Government would act on the recommendations.

    He stressed that by his action, Mohammed has overruled the President by rejecting the report of the panel in Lagos on behalf of the Federal Government.

    The senior advocate also accused the minister of insulting the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, by rejecting the report of the panel instituted by him under the Tribunal of Enquiry Law of the state.

    Governor Sanwo-Olu, according to him, has been presented with a fait accompli by the minister despite that he is still studying the report.

    Falana faulted Mohammed, saying the action of the minister undermined the rule of law and social justice in the land.

    He, therefore, urged the Lagos State government to ignore the rejection of the report by the minister, stressing that the Federal Government’s name was not clothed with any power under the Tribunal of Enquiry Law.

    Read the full statement by the lawyer below:

    FG Is Not Competent To Reject The Report Of Okuwobi Judicial Commission Of Inquiry

    On November 18, 2021, President Muhammadu Buhari held a meeting in Abuja with Mr. Anthony Blinken, the United States Secretary of State. During the meeting, President Buhari said that the state governments in the country would have to take steps on the reports of their panels before the Federal Government acts on the recommendations.

    In particular, the President said, “We at the federal have to wait for the steps taken by the states, and we have to allow the system to work. We can’t impose ideas on them. Federal Government has to wait for the reaction of the states.”

    But in an utter display of executive rascality, Mr Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information has overruled the President by rejecting the report of the Lagos Panel on behalf of the Federal Government.

    By not waiting “for the reaction of the states,” the Minister has overruled the President of the Republic. As if that was not enough, the Minister decided to insult the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu by rejecting the report of the Judicial Commission instituted by him under the Tribunal of Enquiry Law of Lagos State. Thus, the Governor who is currently studying the report has been presented with a fait accompli by the Minister. As far as Mr. Mohammed is concerned, the Governor must toe his line since the Lagos.

    Mr. Mohammed has described the 309-page report of a Judicial tribunal as “fake news”. As a lawyer of many years standing, the Minister ought to have known that it is the height of arrogant contempt to describe the report of a Judicial Commission of Enquiry constituted under the Tribunal of Enquiry Law as “fake”.

    It is regrettable to note that the Minister has failed to realise that the Lagos State Government is not an extension of the Federal Government but a sovereign entity under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    Since the name of the Federal Government is not clothed with any power under the Tribunal of Enquiry Law, the purported rejection of the report by the Minister ought to be treated with disdain by the Lagos State Government.

    In a press conference held on October 20, 2021, Mr. Mohammed had recalled that the National Economic Council had “directed State Governors to immediately forward copies of final reports of the panels to their Attorneys-General for prompt arraignment and prosecution of all indicted persons. Where incidents in the reports relate to matters of discipline, in addition to prosecution, NEC urged the Nigeria Police Force to take disciplinary action on the affected officers in line with the provisions of the Police Act 2020.” Has Mr. Mohammed overruled the collective decision of the National Economic Council?

    However, it is pertinent to point out that Mr. Mohammed’s comment on the report lacks originality as it is a mere regurgitation of the jaundiced views of a couple of aggrieved individuals. The two individuals have tried, albeit unsuccessfully, to discredit the findings and recommendations of the body.

    In a desperate attempt to mislead the Governor, both aggrieved persons have been campaigning for the total rejection of the report because of the so-called discrepancies and inconsistencies contained in the document. No doubt, these individuals are entitled to express their opinions on the report of the Commission. But the call for the rejection of the report is illegal in every material.

    In December 2015, the Nigerian Army massacred hundreds of Shiites in Zaria and hurriedly buried their bodies in a mass grave at Mango in Kaduna State on the orders of the then Chief of Army Staff. Even though Mr. Mohammed said that the report of the genocidal attack was a hoax, the Justice Garba Judicial Commission of Enquiry instituted by the Kaduna State Government confirmed a casualty figure of 348 Shiites.

    Six years thereafter, the authorities have ignored the recommendation of the Judicial Commission that the culprits be prosecuted. The Lagos Judicial Commission of Enquiry accepted the evidence of forensic experts to the effect that 99 dead bodies were dumped in the various mortuaries in Lagos State during the protests. Mr. Mohammed has described the massacre as “fake news”.

    Finally, Mr. Mohammed’s callous comment on the cold murder of unarmed citizens at the Lekki Toll Gate is a sad reminder of his own experience under the same forces of brutalisation. On August 8, 2014, Mr. Mohammed, the then Publicity Secretary of the APC had left Lagos for Osogbo, Osun State in support of Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s re-election bid.

    Later that night, it was reported that he had been kidnapped by a team of hooded operatives of the State Security Service. I was aroused from my sleep by Governor Aregbesola who requested me to assist in searching for Mr. Mohammed. However, a couple of hours later, I was relieved when it was reported that he had regained his freedom.

    But the PDP dismissed the kidnap story as a hoax emanating from the fecund imagination of Mr. Mohammed. Having completely crossed to the other side of the political divide, Mr. Mohammed conveniently regards news of the tragic massacre of unarmed citizens as fake.

    Mr. Mohammed’s steps undermine the rule of law and social justice in the land. President Buhari should call him to order.

    Femi Falana SAN

  • #EndSARS report: Amnesty International blasts Buhari’s Minister ‘Your response not surprising to us’

    #EndSARS report: Amnesty International blasts Buhari’s Minister ‘Your response not surprising to us’

    Human rights group Amnesty International has dismissed the Information and Culture Minister Lai Mohammed’s claims on the panel report on Police brutality and the EndSARS protests, saying his position is not surprising to them.

    The minister had during a briefing in Abuja, described the report submitted by the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Restitution for Victims of SARS Related Abuses as “tales by moonlight” and “riddled with so many errors, inconsistencies, discrepancies, speculations, innuendoes, omissions and conclusions that were not supported by evidence”.

    But the Country Director of Amnesty International (Nigeria) Osai Ojigho on Tuesday in a monitored interview on Channels Television said happenings in the past year were signposts to the minister’s stance.

    “It is not surprising for us at Amnesty International that the minister, Lai Mohammed, continues to deny that incident that happened that unfortunate day, the 20th of October 2020, at the Lekki tollgate because we have seen in the last one year the constant attacks, the constant narrative that is put out there to gas-light the victims, survivors and witnesses, and create an impression that people are just up to no good,” she said on Tuesday.

    According to her, the organisation, like millions of Nigerians, is interested in getting justice for victims of police brutality.

    “What we have always consistently called for is for a transparent, open investigation into the happenings, not just at the Lekki Toll Gate but throughout the EndSARS protests. There were protests across the country,” the country director added.

    “People died, people were injured, there were all kinds of petitions and complaints made even before the panels were set up regarding the SARS unit and the police in general.”

    Amnesty International also accused the government of attacking protesters, witnesses, and human rights agencies, further corroborating claims by a member of the panel, Ebun-Oluwa Adegboruwa (SAN) that his life was being threatened.

    “Why is it difficult for the authorities to address those petitions rather than focussing on targeting human rights defenders, targeting victims and witnesses, and questioning their integrity and legitimacy?” she asked.

  • Just In: FG rejects Lagos #EndSARS report, says not reliable

    Just In: FG rejects Lagos #EndSARS report, says not reliable

    The Federal Government has rejected the report by the Lagos State judicial panel on the shooting at the Lekki toll gate.

    The panel which was inaugurated to look into complaints of alleged human rights abuses by the police and Lekki toll gate shooting indicted the Nigerian Army in its report.

    However, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, in a press conference in Abuja, dismissed the report saying it cannot change the government’s mind that there was a massacre, adding that the report is intimidation of a silent majority by a ‘vociferous lynch mob’.

    The minister described the report by the Lagos judicial panel as ‘Tales by moonlight’ riddled with so many errors, inconsistencies, discrepancies, speculations, innuendos, omissions, and conclusions that are not supported by evidence

    Part of the statement read: “There’s absolutely nothing in the report that is circulating to make us change our minds that there was a massacre in Lekki on October 20, 2020.

    “Without mincing words, let me say that never in the history of any Judicial Panel in this country has its report been riddled with so many errors, inconsistencies, discrepancies, speculations, innuendos, omissions, and conclusions that are not supported by evidence. What is circulating in public space is simply a rehash of the unverified fake news that has been playing on social media since the incident of October.

    “It is simply incredible that a Judicial Panel set up to investigate an incident has submitted a report laden with allegations, the same allegations it was set up to investigate in the first instance. Instead of sitting for all of one year, the panel could have just compiled social media ‘tales by the moonlight’ on the incident and submitted, saving taxpayers’ funds and everyone’s time. That report is nothing but the triumph of fake news and the intimidation of a silent majority by a vociferous lynch mob.”

    Lai Mohammed noted that the report of the panel in circulation cannot be relied upon because its authenticity is in doubt, adding that the Lagos State Government, being the convening authority, is yet to release any official report to the public.

    “The cowardly leakage of an unsigned report to the public is not enough. Assuming the report in circulation bears any iota of genuineness, it is basic knowledge that the report of such a panel is of no force until the convening authority issues a White Paper and Gazette on it. It is therefore too premature for any
    person or entity to seek to castigate the Federal Government and its agencies or officials based on such an unofficial and invalidated report,” he said.

  • Lagos #EndSARS report: Resign now or be sacked, opposition lawmakers tell Buhari’s minister

    Lagos #EndSARS report: Resign now or be sacked, opposition lawmakers tell Buhari’s minister

    The Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives has said it has reviewed the Lagos EndSARS report and observed that the Federal Government has questions to answer.

    The lawmakers in a statement signed by Minority Leader, Ndudi Elumelu on Thursday said the report has confirmed that there was indeed a massacre at Lekki Toll Gate on October 20, 2020, despite the earlier denial of killings.

    “The Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives, after a thorough review of the report of the Lagos State EndSARS judicial panel, holds that the attempt by officials of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government to cover up the now confirmed massacre of Nigerians youths by security forces at the Lekki Tollgate suggests a high-level state-backed conspiracy against Nigerians.

    “The confirmation by the Lagos Panel that there was indeed a massacre at the Lekki Tollgate during the 2020 EndSARS protests in Lagos and that APC government-controlled security forces carted away bodies and mopped up evidence, places a huge burden on the Federal Government which had vehemently denied any killings,” the statement read in part.

    The Minority caucus also flayed the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed for “rushing to the media, ahead of the judicial panel, to insist that there were no killings at Lekki Tollgate, even in the face of testimonies of witnesses at the sad event.”

    They described it as a shocking attempt to cover up details of the October 20 event demanding that justice be served.

    “Our caucus is however shocked that the administration can lie in a matter that has to do with the gruesome killing of citizens, particularly our youths, and even attempt to provide official cover to the culprits.

    “As representatives of the people, the minority caucus holds that killing of our young ones for having the audacity to demand justice, rule of law, and good governance in our nation is the height of wickedness which will continue to haunt the APC and its administration until justice is served.”

    The Minority caucus, therefore, called on the APC-led Federal Government “not to cover up the vicious act,” but based on the findings of the Lagos panel, “the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed is expected to resign immediately or be fired by President Muhammadu Buhari.”

    The caucus commended the Lagos panel for “its boldness in the pursuit of truth and justice and urges other panels investigating allegations of brutality in other states not to be deterred but ensure that the truth is not suppressed.”

    They commiserated with the victims of the Lekki Tollgate attack, particularly the families of those killed, and urged Nigerians to remain calm at this crucial moment.

  • Banky W reacts to #ENDSARS panel report

    Banky W reacts to #ENDSARS panel report

    Nigerian entertainer and politician, Banky Wellington aka Banky W has shared his views on the report from the Lagos State judicial panel of inquiry on restitution for victims of police brutality which revealed that nine persons were killed at Lekki toll gate.

    Banky W as he is fondly called by his fans in an Instagram post on Tuesday shared a statement from the #EndSARS front-liners who demanded justice and police reforms. He also stated that the report was a crucial step in the right direction.

    The singer further said that he hopes those in power will do the right thing and implement the recommendations of the front-liners.

    “The report was a crucial first step in the right direction, but we’ve got a long way to go. Here’s hoping that the powers that be will do the right thing by being transparent and accountable in implementing the recommendations. Time will tell, and history will judge,” he wrote in parts.

    According to the report, at least 48 protesters were either shot dead, injured with bullet wounds or assaulted by soldiers. Nine protesters were confirmed dead, while four were presumed dead.

    Among the 48 listed as victims of the incident, the panel said about 20 sustained gunshot injuries, while 13 others were assaulted by the military.