As the Lagos State Judicial Panel on #EndSARS on Monday, November 15, 2021, submitted its report to the Lagos State Government, Lagos-based right activist and lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN), has stated that he will not subscribe to anything that would amount to covering up the report of the panel, adding that the panel has done its work the best way that it could.
Adegboruwa made this known in a release shortly after a brief handover ceremony at the Government House, Alausa, Ikeja, adding that Nigerians should demand justice against all culprits who have been named, in detail, in the report.
He stated that he will keep observing the turn of events and at the appropriate time, he may be forced to state the full contents of the report if the promises made are not fulfilled, adding that “it is my view that Lagos State having appeared before the panel as a party, having tendered documents before the panel and led witnesses to take a position on the incident of the Lekki Toll Gate, it will be unfair and improper for Lagos State to be a judge in its own cause, by seeking to review the report of the panel.
“However, the governor explained to me that this would only be done to enable the government implement the findings and recommendations of the panel and not to tamper with it or mutilate it. I believe His Excellency. I thank the government and people of Lagos State, fellow panel members, the Nigerian Bar Association, civil society, our comrades far and near, the media and all those who inspired and encouraged us on the path of truth and justice,” he stated.
Adegboruwa explained that the panel affirmed the rights of the people of Nigeria to constitutionally guaranteed freedom of lawful assembly and peaceful protests, freedom of association and freedom of expression and made far-reaching recommendations concerning the major actors that were found culpable, in order to achieve true healing and reconciliation.
“Although, I have my own copy of the report of the panel, I will trust His Excellency the governor of Lagos State to fulfill his promise to Nigerians to make the findings and recommendations of the panel public. That is the only way to build a true nation and avoid a repeat of the atrocious acts of security agencies against our people, especially the youths, the vulnerable and the helpless.
“At the presentation ceremony today, the governor promised two things: to set up a four-man committee led by the Honourable Attorney-General to prepare a White Paper for the purpose of implementing the findings and recommendations expressed in the report and to give it legal backing; and to send the report to the National Economic Council for implementation,” he added.
The panel was inaugurated on October 19, 2020, to look into complaints of citizens against human rights abuses by the police. Following the incident at the Lekki Toll Gate on October 20, 2020 and the panel sat for over one year, listening to testimonies of petitioners, their witnesses, experts and lawyers.
The panel divided its assignment and report into two principal segments to cover general cases of police abuses and the special case of the Lekki Toll Gate incident and compensation was paid to deserving cases of police abuses while a special case was made for victims of the Lekki Toll Gate incident of October 20, 2020.
According to Adegboruwa, the governor of Lagos State was true to his word and granted total independence to the panel and members worked according to their conscience and based upon our common convictions.
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