United Nations and the United States, yesterday, welcomed the submission of the #EndSARS report, and urged governments’ commitment to implementing the Lagos judicial panel’s recommendations.
In a statement made available to journalists, yesterday, signed by the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria, Mr Edward Kallon, said that, the United Nations in Nigeria has welcomed the submission on Monday, November 15, 2021, of the report of the Judicial Panel of Inquiry and Restitution.
According to the statement, “I welcome the submission to the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, of the reports of the judicial panel on claims of brutality and shooting in the Lekki area of Lagos State, during the 2020 #EndSARS protests”.
Kallon noted that the submission of the findings of the judicial panel would accelerate the process of justice and accountability.
“I urge the government to implement the recommendations of the judicial panel of inquiry to rebuild trust and start the process of healing and reconciliation”, Kallon added.
In its statement, the United States Government said it also welcomed the conclusion of the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry with the transmission of its final report.
“We look forward to the Lagos State Government’s response as part of a process that represents an important mechanism of accountability regarding the #EndSARS protests and the events that took place near the Lekki Tollgate on October 20, 2020.
“Those events led to serious allegations against some members of the security forces, and we look forward to the Lagos State and federal governments taking suitable measures to address those alleged abuses as well as the grievances of the victims and their families.
Similarly, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) threatened to institute legal action against President Muhammadu Buhari government.
SERAP said it was suing Buhari to compel the arrest of soldiers and police officers involved in shooting #EndSARS protesters at Lekki Tollgate in Lagos State.
In a series of tweets, the body urged the Buhari government to compel payment of reparation to victims.
Disclosing that it would file the suit on Wednesday, SERAP said the #EndSARS Panel report would serve as part of its evidence.
According to SERAP: “BREAKING: We’re suing the Buhari administration to compel it to immediately arrest the soldiers and police responsible for the shooting of #EndSARS protesters at Lekki Tollgate and pay reparations to victims.
“Please, indicate your interest to join the suit by stating your names.
“We’re filing the suit first thing tomorrow morning; so please indicate your interest
“We’re also following up with our petition dated October 21, 2020 to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court by forwarding today a copy of the report of Lagos #EndSARS Panel as additional information and evidence.”
In June 2020, soldiers and police officers had shot some #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki Tollgate in Lagos State.
The incident had led to a widespread protest across the country.
A panel was later set up to probe the incident and it submitted its report, last Monday.
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has been asked to sack the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed immediately.
The call came following the report of the Panel of Investigation set by the Lagos State Government to unravel the incidents of October 20, 2020, at the popular Lekki Tollgate, Lagos State.
The report released during the week had indicted the police and soldiers of the Nigerian Army of having killed and maimed harmless youths protesting illicit police activities and bad governance in Nigeria.
But Mohammed, in a series of press conferences, has continually denied anyone was killed when soldiers invaded the protest scene.
Despite the Federal Government’s stance, the report shows obvious evidence that there was indeed a massacre at the Lekki tollgate.
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) advocated his dismissal, arrest, and trial for his egregious falsehood which has now been contradicted by a judicial panel of investigators in Lagos.
HURIWA made the demand in a statement against the backdrops of the issuance of a conclusive judicial report and verdict by the Lagos State Judicial Panel of investigations.
The 309-page report detailed how the Army and Police disregarded their rules of engagement during the protest.
HURIWA recalled that Mohammed also faulted the claim by Amnesty International that no fewer than 12 protesters were killed in Lagos State by security operatives during the #EndSARS protest.
HURIWA “is asking President Muhammadu Buhari as a biological father of many well-educated children, to order the arrest and prosecution of his Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, for committing a grave and heartless offence that is equivalent to the denial of the Holocaust of the 6million Jews by Adolf Hitler which is punishable by nearly half a century of incarceration.”
HURIWA “is also commending the brave members and chairperson of the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on the #EndSARS protests, especially the circumstances surrounding the massive cases of extrajudicial killings by the Army and armed police when these armed forces opened fire with lethal weapons targeted at the unarmed protesters.”
The rights group has asked the president not to sweep the lawlessness of the security agencies under the carpets just as it said if the president allows his information minister to get away with the impunity of denying the massacre that happened before the eyes of the world captured live on video cameras, then he will be remembered long after he has retired from public office as a dictator who oversaw the genocide of young protesters and the generations unborn will never forgive him for this.
“President Muhammadu Buhari must note that as a father of many children he needs to ensure that impunity is never tolerated, especially the extrajudicial killings of very youngsters of Nigeria by the Army just for protesting police Brutality”, HURIWA affirmed.