#EndSARS: Don’t Spoil Our Good Intentions – Lagos Govt Reacts To Controversy On Judicial Panel Report

The Lagos State government has lamented that the controversies in the public space over the report submitted to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu by the Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Restitution for Victims of SARS Related Abuses and Other Matters is capable of nullifying the good intentions of the government.

The government, therefore, called for restraint from members of the public so as to allow time for issues contained in the report to be presented in an official white paper which will represent the position of the government on issues raised.

The Lagos State government in a statement on Wednesday by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso said a committee has already been set up to come up with a white paper which will determine the next line of action by the government.

It urged members of the public to be patient and exercise restraint while the government works on the report.

The statement reads: “The Lagos State Government has noted the various reactions that have followed the submission of the report of the Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Restitution for Victims of SARS Related Abuses and Other Matters.

There have been arguments in the public space over the report. There is need for us to restrain ourselves from nullifying the good intentions of the government in setting up this Panel, which was well encouraged to do its job – a fact that was acknowledged by the Panel.

In accordance with the Tribunal of Inquiry Law 2015, a committee has been set up to bring up a White Paper on the report to determine the next line of action.

At the appropriate time, the Government will make known its views on all the issues raised by the Panel through the release of a White Paper.”

It will be recalled that the judicial panel led by Justice Doris Okuwobi on Monday submitted its report to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos, disclosing that not less than eleven people were killed at the Lekki tollgate incident.

The report added that at least 48 protesters were either shot dead, injured with bullet wounds, or assaulted by soldiers.

The revelations have continued to generate reactions both locally and internationally particularly as Minister Lai Mohammed had on several occasions after the Lekki Toll Gate shootings of October 20, 2020, insisted that no life was lost, and even demanded apologies from persons and organizations with reports on loss of lives during the incident.