By Joseph Edegbo
The judicial panel set up by the Lagos State Government into the Lekki Toll Gate Shooting Incident and Cases of Police Brutality as well as human rights violations has found the Nigerian Army and the Police of culpable in the death of protesters, despite the victims were waving the country’s national flag.
According to the panel’s report obtained by AFRICA PRIME NEWS, the Army and Police disregarded their rules of engagement during the protest.
The panel stated that “officers of the Nigerian Army shot, injured and killed unarmed, helpless and defenseless protesters without provocation or justification, while they were waving the Nigerian flag and singing the national anthem and the manner of assault and killing could in context be described as a massacre”.
The conduct of the Nigerian Army, the Panel said, was exacerbated by its refusal to allow ambulances render medical assistance to victims who required such assistance. The Army was also found not to have adhered to its own Rules of Engagement.
On the part of the Police, the Panel said the Nigerian Police Force deployed its officers to the Lekki Toll Gate on the night of October 20, 2020, and between that night and the morning of October 21, 2020, its officers shot at, assaulted and battered unarmed protesters, which led to injuries and deaths.
The police officers, the panel further revealed, tried to cover up their actions by picking up bullets, as well as an attempt to cover up the Incident of October 20 after the army involvement by the cleaning of the Lekki Toll Gate and the failure to preserve the scene ahead of potential investigations.
The panel established an invitation of the Nigerian Army by the Lagos State Government through the governor before the hierarchy of the Nigerian Army deployed its soldiers to the Lekki Toll Gate on the night of October 20.
From the foregoing, the Panel Makes 32 recommendation which include “holistic Police Reforms covering welfare, training and proper equipping of Policemen and their working environment; Sanctioning of the officers of the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Police Force respectively who participated in shooting, injuring and killing of unarmed protestors at the Lekki Toll Gate on October 20 and 21, 2020;
“Development of more robust engagement between the Youth and the Government;
“Setting up of a Standing Committee/Tribunal to deal with cases of violation of human rights by security agencies and a trust fund to settle compensation awarded by such committee/tribunal;
“A public apology to ENDSARS protesters, who were killed, injured and traumatized by the Incident of October 20, 2020, and the memorialisation of the Lekki Toll Gate and the October 20, going forward.”
Earlier, the panel presented its report to Governor Bababjide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State for further action and implementations.
Receiving the Report, Governor Sanwo-Olu, pledged to treat the report appropriately, saying history will judge the state government well or otherwise.
The panel was led by Doris Okuwobi, a retired judge, while other members comprised Ebun Adegboruwa, SAN, Patience Udoh, a retired Deputy Inspector General of Police, Taiwo Lakanu; Segun Awosanya, human rights activist, Olutoyin Odusanya, Director, Lagos Citizens Mediation Center, and Temitope Majekodunmi, a youth representative.