Lagos #EndSars Panel Sitting Suspended Indefinitely, Read Why

2 years ago

Lagos #EndSars Panel Sitting Suspended Indefinitely, Read Why

The Lagos State Judicial Panel on Restitution for Victims of SARS Related Abuses and other Matters has suspended its sitting indefinitely, as they take the much-needed break to “evaluate, collate and make findings” on the Lekki shootings.

The panel was set up last year to investigate cases of police brutality, especially involving officers of the now-defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad, and determine whether protesters were killed at the Lekki toll gate plaza on October 20, 2020, or not.

The Chairperson of the panel, Justice Doris Okuwobi (retd), on Saturday, said the panel was yet to complete any of its reports.

During the sitting, the police, army, Lekki Concession Company, a forensic expert, hospitals, the state’s pathologists, and #EndSARS protesters submitted their reports, evidence, and cross-examined.

A member explained that the panel had earlier sought further extension, but it was rejected by the Lagos Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

The panel member said:-

“(Suspension of the sitting of the) EndSARS Judicial Panel is to enable the panel collate its report on the Lekki Toll Gate investigation.
“The panel was initially set up to probe police brutality but Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu later added the Lekki Too Gate incident to the work of the panel.
“The panel feels it should have at least a whole month to look through all the detailed testimonies of so many witnesses on the Lekki Toll Gate incident, including the Army, Lekki Concession Company, Lagos State Government, the Police, Reddington Hospital, forensic experts, pathologists, and EndSARS protesters, all numbering about 50 witnesses and over 100 video clips.
“So, what the panel has done is to suspend hearing on all other regular petitions in order to focus on Lekki Toll Gate incident. The panel had sought extension of its tenure to be able to handle all the close to 300 petitions it received as it has not been able to hear all the petitions but the governor declined further extension beyond October 2021.
“So, unless the panel suspends its sittings on regular petitions, it will not be able to produce any report on the Lekki Toll Gate Incident. The strategy is to work on the Lekki Toll Gate incident for the next two weeks in order to produce a report and if there is enough time left the Panel will resume hearing of regular petitions.
“It was in this circumstance that some lawyers are still pressing the panel to call expert witnesses in respect of the Lekki Toll Gate, which if granted, will derail the work of the panel.”