Tag: Lagos Panel

#EndSARS: Lagos Panel concludes sitting, awards N410m to 70 victims

The Lagos State Judicial Panel on restitution for victims of SARS-related abuses and other matters has held its valedictory sitting after 131 proceedings.

Chairman of the panel, Justice Doris Okuwobi, who read out the decisions of the panel on Monday, announced the award of N148.2 million to 23 deserving petitioners.

They include Michael Owoicho – N10 million, Fatai Ogunseye (late) – N10 million, Adeola Mukaila – N700,000, Stella Edegwa – N500,000, Akapo Adekunle – N10 million, Mustapha Ramot – N10 million, Kufre Jackson – N5 million, Ikechukwu Iloamuzor (late) – N10 million, Segun Adekoya (unlawful arrest by the police) – N1 million, Yusuf Omole – N10 million, and Segun Ishola (injuries sustained from gunshot) – N5 million.

Others are Mr and Mrs Julius Adeogun – N10 million, Okoronkwo Sylvester (late) – N10 million, Titi Agnes – N10 million, Prince Akaba – N500,000, Chukwudera Uba – N4 million, Seun Bamgbose – N10 million, Abayomi Likinyo – N4 million, James Arebha – N4 million, Juliana Adeoti – N1 million, Adaeze Samson – N2.5 million, Yemi Abdulkareem – N10 million, and Gabriel Ayedungbe – 10 million.

As a result, the panel has now awarded a total of N410 million to 70 victims.

Justice Okuwobi also revealed that the panel has concluded its investigations into the shooting at the Lekki tollgate – one of the venues of the #EndSARS protests in Lagos.

She, however, stated that the panel was working on its report which would be submitted to the state government which was expected to declare the report publicly.

The panel assured petitioners that its recommendations would include compensation to victims of the Lekki tollgate incident if any was identified.

According to the chairman, recommendations will also be made for policemen who were victims of the #EndSARS protests held in 2020.

She added that petitions that have been partly heard, and those that were not concluded or heard would be sent to the supervising Lagos State Ministry of Justice, which may set up a human rights body to handle them.

The judicial panel set up by the state governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on October 19, 2020, was mandated to investigate cases of brutality and human rights abuses by the Police and its disbanded tactical unit.

On October 19, 2020, the Lagos State government inaugurated a nine-man Judicial Panel of Inquiry to investigate cases of brutality and human rights violations perpetrated by the police and operatives of the dissolved Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

The panel was also saddled with the investigation of the alleged shooting of protesters by the Nigerian Army on October 20, 2020, at the Lekki tollgate plaza.

It received 235 petitions between October and December 2020, while only 14 petitions were submitted on the alleged Lekki shooting incident.

October 19, 2021
Lagos panel awards Kolade Johnson’s family, 12 others N83m

The Lagos judicial panel has compensated 13 victims of police brutality with N83million.

One of the beneficiaries was the family of the late Kolade Johnson, who was killed in 2019.

Panel chairman, Justice Doris Okuwobi, handed over a cheque of N10 million to Johnson’s mother.

Johnson, 36, was shot by members of the police anti-cultism unit during a raid at the Onipetesi area of Lagos on March 31, 2019.

The father of one and a friend were leaving a soccer viewing centre in the area where they had gone to watch an English Premiership league match between Tottenham and Manchester United when a stray bullet hit him.

He died at the hospital while waiting for treatment, according to his sister Toluwani Lukman.

Johnson’s killing provoked widespread anger among Nigerians, following which the police authorities identified Ogunyemi Olalekan, a police inspector, and Godwin Orji, a sergeant, as the officers involved in the shooting.

Following an orderly trial, Olalekan was dismissed from the force after he was found guilty while Orji was acquitted.

June 26, 2021
Four #EndSARS petitioners receive N16.25m cheques from Lagos Panel

The Lagos State Judicial Panel on Restitution for victims of SARS and other related matters has handed out cheques to four deserving petitioners.

At the resumed sitting on Saturday, the panel gave decisions in six petitions and found that the four of them were able to prove their cases successfully.

The petitioners, comprising three women and a man, received a total of N16.25 million in total.

A breakdown of the amount shows that the three women received cheques of N10 million, N5 million, and N750,000 respectively, while the man got a cheque of N500,000.

They took turns to receive the cheques from the Chairman of the Panel, Justice Doris Okuwobi.

Following the presentation of the cheques to the petitioners, the panel moved on to the cross-examination of a trauma and orthopaedic surgeon, Dr Babatunde Lawson, from Reddington Hospital.

However, the cross-examination of the medical practitioner was stalled because the counsel to the Lagos State government who was meant to take him through the process was absent.

Thereafter, the panel listened to the testimony of another petitioner, Samuel Ashola, who was at the venue of the Lekki tollgate protest in October 2020.

March 27, 2021
BREAKING: Lagos judicial panel issues compensation to victims of Police brutality

The Lagos State judicial panel hearing cases of police brutality on Friday, awarded compensation to some victims of police brutality the panel has heard their cases and found meritorious.

In a petition involving late Mrs. Kudirat Adebayo Abayomi, the panel on Friday, recommended the prosecution of the erring police officers, N10 million to be awarded as compensation to the family of the deceased, a scholarship, and a letter of apology to the family of the deceased from the police.

The second petitioner, Hannah Olugbode, was awarded the sum of N10 million for the stress and anxiety she suffered, and to help her undergo treatment.

Justice Doris Okuwobi (retrd) in her recommendation also noted that erring officers who have commited these abuses are sanctioned.

February 19, 2021
Lekki shootings: Nigerian Army Ignores Summons, Fails To Appear Before Lagos Panel

The Nigerian Army has again failed to appear before the Lagos State Judicial Panel on Restitution for victims of SARS and other related matters.

It’s the third time they’ve failed to honour the summons of the panel for officers involved in the shooting to explain what happened at the Lekki toll gate on the 20th of October 2020.

At today’s proceedings, Counsel to the panel, Jonathan Ogunsanya confirmed that summons were sent to three army officers.

“Summons was sent to Colonel Bello. The second summons was served on Major General Godwin Umelo, the General Officer Commanding 81 Division, Lagos and Ogun State of the Nigerian Army, Victoria Island.
The third summon was issued and served on Brigadier General Francis Ogbaje Omata of the Nigerian Army, Obalende Barracks”.

The counsel then tendered the summons for the panel to view.

Counsel to the #ENDSARS protesters, Adesina Ogunlana has asked the panel to summon the counsel on record for the Nigerian Army, Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN) to respond to the summons and the failure of the army officers to appear.

But the counsel to the panel, Jonathan Ogunsanya told the panel that Mr Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN) has said that he is no longer representing the Nigerian Army and any effort to get him to appear before the panel may not have legal backing.

The Chairman of the panel, Justice Doris Okuwobi has ordered that a letter should be issued to the counsel on record for the army, Mr Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN) to appear before the panel at the next adjourned date to explain why he would not conclude the case of the Nigerian Army.

“I must reiterate and state that this is a fact-finding panel and not the regular courts where counsel can decide the choice of witnesses they want to present in their case. The summons to those military officers had become necessary for other parties to hear their evidence and cross-examine them if necessary. It behoves on Mr Kehinde to assist the panel to achieve this task in the course of the investigation of the Lekki incident. He is needed to conclude this part of his brief. For the other victim-related petitions which are 14 against the Army, I implore the military authority to appear and present their defence so that no issue of denial of fair hearing will arise when the panel’s report is submitted to government”.

All matters involving the Nigerian Army were then adjourned till the 30th Jan, 2021.

January 23, 2021
DCP Abba Kyari dragged before Lagos panel over alleged extortion of N41m

A 38-year-old real estate agent, Afeez Mojeed, has dragged Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari before the Lagos State Judicial Panel over allegation of extortion, brutality.

Mojeed, in his petition, claimed that officers of the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, under the leadership of Kyari, brutalised and forced him to transfer various amount of money to two persons at different times.

He said his ordeal began on 18 October 2014.

He testified that on that night, four police officers in mufti stormed his Ajah residence, beat him and his wife, ransacked his house, took his wristwatch, phone, ATM card, cheque book, N280,000 and shop documents, among other items.

Mojeed said he was later whisked to the Lagos Police Command headquarters in Ikeja where the beating continued for three hours before he was eventually put in a cell.

He claimed that the police officers asked him to give them the password of his phone and his ATM pin the next day, but he gave them wrong numbers.

He added that the police later showed him one Edward Obinna who claimed he (Mojeed) had defrauded him of N97 million.

He said Obinna claimed he paid the money into his company’s account.

Mojeed claimed that when he challenged Obinna to show him his bank statement as evidence, Obinna later said he paid into the account of one Yusuf Olatunji Balogun, his cousin.

The complainant further revealed in his petition that after Obinna left the police station that night, he was tortured again for giving the police officers wrong ATM PIN.

He added that he was tortured until he gave the police officers the right PIN number of his ATM card.

Three days after, on the 22nd of October 2014, Afeez said under the supervision of Abba Kyari, the then OC SARS, he signed two cheques of N150,000.00 each payable to a faceless person named Nurudeen Alabi.

He said he was taken to Eco Bank to transfer N15 million which he has in a fixed deposit account to to the same Obina that same day.

However, the account officer on suspicion of how he appeared disapproved the transaction.

He said the police took him to another Diamond Bank branch to transfer N41 million to Obinna.

However, he said he was asked to return the following day to unfix the fixed account he kept the money.

The petitioner said he was again tortured at the station and taken out in the midnight with other detainees to unload three corpses from a Hilux bus.

Mojeed said he was threatened that he would be wasted like the corpses if he did not comply at the bank the following day.

The next day, he said he was taken to the Diamond Bank and on the way, the police officers with him branched at a boutique, bought him a new cloth, and cleaned him up.

He testified that at the bank, he transferred the sum of N41 million to Mr. Obina who drove behind them on the way to the bank.

He stated that he was returned to the police station and tortured again before being forced to sign an undertaking that he willingly transferred the money to Mr. Obinna.

Mojeed said on the 24th of October 2014, he was again taken to an unknown Zenith Bank branch, where he transferred N800,000 to the same Obinna and still forced to sign another cheque of N150,000 to one Mr. Nurudeen Alabi.

The petitioner said the police later called his wife and asked her to terminate the representation of his lawyer.

He added that after 14 days in custody, he was arraigned before a magistrate who granted him bail that same day.

He claimed that after he was released, he went for treatment at the General Hospital, Ajegunle because one of his ears was emitting pus.

Hearing of the petition was adjourned till 19 January, 2021.

This was after Mojeed’s counsel counsel, Kabir Akingbolu, applied for an adjournment so he could tender documents to prove the allegations of his client before the panel.

December 20, 2020
JUST IN: CNN rejects Lagos Panel summon on Lekki shootings

American based Cable News Network, Inc.(CNN) has objected to a Witness Summons by the Lagos Judicial Panel of Inquiry and Restitution of Victims of SARS Related Abuses for its Team of Reporters to appear before it today (Saturday), December 12, to give evidence on their reportage of the #EndSARS Lekki shooting.

The international news outfit said the Panel lacks jurisdiction to summon its staff since they are not in Nigeria.

CNN’s Lawyers, Messrs. Olumide Babalola LP, filed the objection dated 4th December 2020 at the Tribunal on December 9, 2020.

In the letter, Mr Olumide Babalola said: “Since the Objectors are not “persons in Nigeria” as envisaged by the provision of section 5(c) (of Tribunals Of Inquiry Law Of Lagos State, Cap. T6), then this Honourable Tribunal is, with respect, bereft of territorial jurisdiction to compel their attendance to give evidence before it.”

According to Babalola, the panel invited him into its Private Hearing Room Saturday morning and subsequently excused CNN from further proceedings or appearing before the Panel.

CNN’s invitation followed its two-part report which claimed that soldiers shot at and killed peaceful #EndSARS protesters on the night of October 20 at the Lekki Toll Gate.

December 12, 2020
Lekki Shooting: #EndSARS lawyer wants Fashola to appear before panel

Counsel for some #EndSARS protesters in Lagos State, Mr Adesina Ogunlana, has said Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola (SAN), will have to appear before the Judicial Panel of Inquiry “discovery” of a video camera at the Lekki toll gate on the night of October 20.

Ogunlana stated this while interrogating the Managing-Director of Lekki Concession Company, LCC, Yomi Omomuwasan.

The counsel asked how many cameras do they have at the toll gate, but Omomuwasan said he did not know the total number of the cameras but one camera was removed, 15 were burned.

Ogunlana then asked, “Okay, are you aware of the camera found by Agent FASH?”

Mr Gbolahan Agboluwaje, the Head of the Legal Department of LCC, objects, according to him the MD doesn’t know as he wasn’t there.

Ogunlana then asks if Mr. Fashola can be brought in for questioning.

Details soon…

November 27, 2020
JUST IN: Lagos panel begins viewing of Lekki shooting video

The Lagos State Judicial Panel of Enquiry and Restitution for Victims of SARS related abuses and other matters has begun viewing of 2 hours 29 minutes of the October 20 Lekki shootings footage captured by the Lekki Concession Company (LCC).

This portion of the total 21-hour footage begins from 5 pm and ends at 7:59 pm.

Soldiers have been accused of shooting at #EndSARS protesters, injuring and killing some, an allegation the military has denied.

The shootings were believed to have occurred from just over 6pm on October 20.
About four hours of the video were played on October 6 between 11:35am and nearly past 5pm, with a pause in between during break time.

But lawyers to the parties agreed to limit the 21-hour footage to portions relevant to the shootings.

The video is broken into footages of roughly 30 minutes in length.

The video was tendered by LCC Managing Director, Abayomi Omomuwa, through LCC’s counsel, Rotimi Seriki.

The Federal Government has also denied anyone was killed at the toll gate, following a CNN report claiming otherwise.

Details shortly…

November 21, 2020
BREAKING: Seven ‘Lekki shootings victims’ appear before Lagos panel

Seven alleged victims of the October 20 Lekki shootings have ‘surfaced’ at the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Enquiry and Restitution for Victims of SARS related abuses and other matters.

Their lawyer, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika SAN, told the panel he had a petition on their behalf against the Nigerian Army.

Olumide-Fusika sought directions from Justice Doris Okuwobi (Rtd)-led a panel on how to proceed with the petitions.

The panel, which rose briefly, has just returned.

After a week’s break, the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry probing the alleged shooting of #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki tollgate on October 20 resumed sitting on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the two youth panel members, Rinu Oduala and Temitope Majekodunmi, who abstained last week in protest against the freezing of bank accounts of #EndSARS promoters by the Federal Government through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) have now joined the panel.

The retired Justice Doris Okuwobi-led panel had adjourned on November 7 when its proceedings were frustrated over the inability to form quorum due to the boycott of the sitting by the two youth panel members

The panel fixed Saturday for the Nigerian Army to return to give its testimony.

The Nigerian Army has listed three Brigadier Generals and one Lieutenant Colonel, who will testify before the panel

The top military officers, whose statements on oath have already been submitted to the panel are the Commander of 81 Military Intelligence Brigade, Victoria Island, Lagos, Brig. Gen. Ahmed Taiwo; Chief of Staff, 81 Division, Nigerian Army, VI, Lagos, Brig. Gen. Nsikak Edet; Commander, 81 Division Garrison, VI, Brig. Gen. Francis Omata; Commander, 9 Brigade, Ikeja, Brig. Gen. Musa Etsu-Ndagi; and Commanding Officer, 65 Battalion, Bonny Camp, VI, Lt. Col. Salisu Bello.

Military and legal teams already seated and proceedings are underway.

November 14, 2020