The Lagos State Government has announced the suspension of its planned mass burial for the 103 corpses recovered following the October 2020 #EndSARS protest.
The decision to suspend the mass burial comes after the controversy sparked by the initial announcement in July.
A leaked memo dated July 19, 2023, revealed the government’s plan for the mass burial, triggering objections from human rights organisations and civil society groups.
Both Amnesty International and the Coalition of #EndSARS Protesters and Supporters called for the suspension of the mass burial and urged transparent coroner inquests and autopsies for the victims.
In its reaction, the state government, through the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Mr Gboyega Akosile, told newsmen that the government would “conform to global best practices” in carrying out the mass burial.
The suspension aims to allow more time for the identification of the victims by their families.
According to the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, the planned mass burial remains suspended to provide ample time for relatives to identify the corpses.
He emphasised that the government has not received any identification of the corpses so far.
The burial will be carried out soon, giving people sufficient time to determine if their relatives are among the deceased.
“It is to allow more time for identification as suggested when it was disclosed that the government was planning a mass burial for them,” Omotoso said.
He stated further that “up till now, nobody has shown up to identify any of the corpses. But the government has decided to give people more time.”
He added that the planned burial would “be carried out soon, but because of the controversies around that time, it was suspended.
People now have the time and ample opportunity to see if their relatives are there,” the Commissioner for Information and Strategy said.
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