UN, US Calls Lagos Government to Act on Endsars Report

Sequel to the release of a report by the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Restitution for victims of SARS-related abuses and other matters, calls have been made to the Lagos State government to act on the report Panel submitted Monday.

The call follows the actions of the Lagos State Government over the report released. The state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, had yesterday said: “No comment for now. Mr Governor has set up a four-person committee to come up with the White Paper, until then, no comment, please.”

Meanwhile, the United Nations and the United States of America urged the government to sweep the report under the carpet.

In its findings, the Panel revealed that on October 20, 2020, the Nigerian Army shot and killed unarmed protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate.

The Panel also made a total of 32 recommendations. They include sanctioning of the officers of the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Police Force who took part in the shooting, injuring and killing of unarmed protestors at the Lekki Toll Gate on October 20 and 21, 2020;
development of a strong engagement between the youth and the government; and setting up 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.
The Panel also recommended a public apology to #EndSARS protesters who were killed, injured and traumatized.

Governor Sanwo-Olu had said he would treat the report appropriately, saying history was there to judge the state government well or otherwise.
On their part, the United Nations have asked the government to implement the Panel’sPanel’s recommendations.

The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria, Mr Edward Kallon, had in a statement said: “I welcome the submission to Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, of reports of the judicial Panel on claims of brutality and shooting in the Lekki area of Lagos State, during the 2020 EndSARS protests.

“I urge the government to implement the recommendations of the judicial panel to rebuild trust and start the process of healing and reconciliation.”

In the same vein, the United States government, who also reacted to the Panel’sPanel’s report, has urged the Federal and Lagos State governments to follow suitable measures in addressing the alleged abuses and the grievances of victims of the 2020 #EndSARS protest.
The statement issued by the US Embassy in Nigeria stated thus:

“The United States welcomes 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 essential mechanism of accountability regarding the #EndSARS protests and the events near the Lekki Toll Gate on October 20, 2020.

“Those events led to serious allegations against some members of the security forces, and we look forward to Lagos State and federal governments taking suitable measures to address those alleged abuses as well as the grievances of the victims and their families.”