FixPolitics has asked Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu to reveal who ordered the clean-up of the Lekki toll gate after the October 20, 2020 shooting by the Army and Police during the End SARS protest.
Last Monday, the Judicial Panel of Inquiry chaired by retired Justice Doris Okuwobi presented its report to Sanwo-Olu.
The panel revealed that a number of unidentified bodies were removed by security agencies, Lagos State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit (LASEHMU), and deposited at hospital mortuaries.
“Three trucks with brushes underneath were brought to the Lekki Toll Gate in the morning of October 21st October 2020 to clean up the scene of bloodstains and other evidence”, they found.
FixPolitics, a movement seeking to change and innovate politics in Nigeria and Africa, hailed the panel for “the courage and forthrightness demonstrated in publishing their findings”.
Anthony Ubani, Executive Director, in a statement on Tuesday, told Sanwo-Olu to ensure that justice for victims of police and military brutality is pursued to a logical conclusion.
The group demanded that all persons culpable in any way for the atrocities committed face the consequences of their actions.
“This includes identifying those responsible for inviting the military, issuing the order to shoot at peaceful protesters, and asking that the crime scene at the Lekki Toll Gate be cleaned up, thus destroying the evidence,” he said.
Ubani noted that only the complete delivery of justice and the speedy administering of compensation to the victims can help to bring some measure of relief and closure for grieving families.
FixPolitics said the report pronounced that Nigerians were indeed murdered on that fateful day, contrary to the repeated denials by federal and state officials.
The statement insists such individuals should be called to account for misguided claims made before the submission of the report.
“The eyes of the world are on Nigeria at this time. The United Kingdom, United States, Amnesty International, and United Nations have issued statements expressing the hope that the End SARS Report would be implemented.”
FixPolitics endorsed the calls and hopes the experience will become a learning moment for the country, particularly regarding the right of citizens to peaceful protests.
“The regular unleashing of police and military force upon innocent citizens must be immediately addressed. Why is the government afraid of citizens protesting peacefully?
“Should the role of the police not be to provide security for citizens during protests? Why should the military be brought out to shoot flag-waving, national anthem-singing civilians?
“We demand that the socio-economic maladies in our polity which compelled our youths to launch that peaceful protest be decisively
addressed,” he said.
FixPolitics vowed to continue to advocate for the single amendment to the 1999 Constitution to allow for a referendum.
Lagos Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN), is leading the four-man team that will produce a White Paper next week.
