#EndSARS Reports: Lagos applauds Judicial Panel, constitutes 4-member committee on white paper

*Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State says the government ‘will ensure that the recommendations that are coming out that will be turned into a white paper would be made available to the public’

*The committee led by Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN), Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, is expected to raise a White Paper on the reports the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Restitution for Victims of SARS-related Abuses and Other Matters in October 2020

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

Pledging to publish the reports cum recommendations and submit same to the National Economic Council (NEC) for discussion, the Lagos State Government of Nigeria has set up a four-man Committee for a white paper on the report submitted by the Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Restitution for victims of #EndSARS and related matters in the cosmopolitan state of the country.

ConsumerConnect reports Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu Monday, November 15, 2021, constituted committee led by Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN), the State Attorney-General and Honourable Commissioner for Justice, to raise a White Paper on the reports submitted by the Judicial Panel for victims of #EndSARS-related abuses and other matters October 2020.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State (5th right) flanked by Justice Doris Okuwobi (Rtd), Chairman of Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry Report on Restitution for Victims of SARS Related Abuses and Other Matters, Deputy Governor Dr. Obafemi Hamzat (5th left); and Other Members of the Judicial Panel and State Executive Council  at Lagos House, Ikeja

Governor Sanwo-Olu constituted the committee following the receipt of two reports of the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Restitution for Victims of SARS-related Abuses and Other Matters, which Justice Doris Okuwobi (Retired), Chairman of the Judicial Panel, had submitted to him at the Lagos House, at Alausa-Ikeja.

The two reports the Judicial Panel submitted to Lagos State Government are based on the investigations into petitions on several cases of abuse and killings by the Nigeria Police, especially the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

They also captured proceedings on the October 20, 2020, Lekki Toll Gate shootings during the EndSARS protests reportedly hijacked by hoodlums in the country last year.

Other members of the committee are Commissioner for Youths and Social Development, Mr. Segun Dawodu; Special Adviser, Works and Infrastructure, Engr. (Mrs.) Aramide Adeyoye and Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Office, Mrs. Tolani Oshodi.

Sanwo-Olu said that the four-man Committee would generate a White Paper within the next two weeks to be considered by the Lagos State Executive Council.

The Lagos Governor as well assured Nigerians that reports and recommendations would  be made public and submitted to the National Economic Council (NEC) for discussion accordingly.

Government’s action will be guided by law, public interest ─Sanwo-Olu

Governor Sanwo-Olu also reassured Nigerians, especially residents of Lagos State, that the government’s action would be guided by the law and in the public interest in respect of the proposed White Paper on the two reports.

He has expressed hope that the Lagos State Government’s decision on the reports would bring complete healing, reconciliation and restitution.

Protesters at Lekki Tollgate October 2020, in Lagos

Sanwo-Olu said: “I am going to constitute a four-member committee immediately, which will be headed by the Attorney-General, the Commissioner for Youths and Social Development, the Special Adviser on Works and Infrastructure and the Permanent Secretary, the Cabinet office.

“The four of them will immediately look through and bring forward a White Paper within the next two weeks that will be considered at the Lagos State Executive Council and would be gazetted as a white paper coming from the Panel of Inquiry.”

The governor also noted: “We will ensure that the recommendations that are coming out that will be turned into a white paper and would be made available to the public.

“We will do it appropriately so that history will judge us well and we will have a document that will stand the test of time.

“That is what the tribunal law says so that it will be properly documented and gazetted in government’s records.”

Governor commends Justice Okuwobi-led panel and the media

Governor Sanwo-Olu, who also noted that the Judicial Panel had operated independently all through the period of the assignment, commended members of the Justice Okuwobi-led panel for a job well done.

He expressed appreciation to Lagosians for their cooperation during the exercise, which lasted for almost a year.

Earlier, Justice Doris Okuwobi expressed deep appreciation to the Lagos State Government and all the stakeholders who appeared before the Panel.

The retired Justice also applauded members of the Panel for their uncommon resolve to bring closure to the assignment and good teamwork.

According to her, part of the recommendations of the panel is the establishment of a body to take over human rights abuses in Lagos.

Panel receives 235 petitions, awards N410m to 70 victims of Police brutality: Chairman

As regards the synopsis of the reports, Justice Okuwobi stated that the Judicial Panel awarded a total of N410million to 70 victims of Police brutality.

She said the Panel recived a total of 235 petitions with only 14 of them being on the Lekki shooting incident.

Okuwobi as well noted: “As much as the Panel desired to have taken all petitions, the ones that were not taken by the Panel were those that did not comply to (with) our rules, so in this report, we made recommendations for a body to take over human rights abuse cases in Lagos State.”

ConsumerConnect had reported Governor Sanwo-Olu October 2020, in Lagos, inaugurated the Judicial Panel of Inquiry to investigate alleged cases of brutality and human rights violations perpetrated by the Police and operatives of the dissolved Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

The Judicial Panel was also saddled with the investigation of the shootings that took place October 20, 2020, at the Lekki Tollgate, on Lagos Island.

We look forward to Lagos State Government’s response, says US

Sequel to submission of the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry’s final report to the Lagos State Government (LASG), the United States (US) has said it is looking forward to a response from the Lagos State in this regard.

ConsumerConnect reports the US in a statement Tuesday, November 16, 2021, said: “The United States welcomes the conclusion of the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry with the transmission of its final report.

“We look forward to the Lagos State government’s response as part of a process that represents an important mechanism of accountability regarding the #EndSARS protests and the events that took place near the Lekki Toll Gate on October 20, 2020.”

The statement noted that “those events led to serious allegations against some members of the security forces, and we look forward to the Lagos State and Federal governments taking suitable measures to address those alleged abuses as well as the grievances of the victims and their families.”

Additional reporting by Gbenga Kayode and Emmanuel Akosile

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