EndSARS: Lagos releases Whitepaper, disagrees with panel report of 9 deaths

The Lagos state government has released its Whitepaper in response to the submission of the report by the Judicial panel of inquiry on restitution for victims of SARS, related abuses and other matters.

In the Whitepaper released by the State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, Lagos state described the claim of the panel that nine persons were shot dead as “assumptions and speculations”.

The government also stated that of all the 32 recommendations made by the JPI on the Lekki Toll Gate Shooting, it only accepted 11 and rejected (1) one and agreed on six with modifications. It added that 14 recommendations fall outside its powers and would be forwarded to the Federal government for consideration.

According to the Whitepaper, “It is quite astonishing that in the list of eleven (11) deaths set on pages 297-298, two (2) of the names appeared twice (Kolade Salam,  Folorunsho Olabisi as Nos. 37 and 38). Furthermore, the person ben, as No. 46 Nathaniel Solomon who testified as a witness and petit the JPI in respect of his brother who he alleged died at LTC, himself listed as having died at LTG on 20th October 2020, Remarkably, Nathaniel Solomon’s deceased brother (Abuta Solomon, was then also listed: as‘No.2 on the list of persons who died at LTG.

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“The only victim of gunshot injury from LTG was picked up at 7:43, on 21* October 2020 after the curfew commenced (see page 99 Furthermore, there was no shred of evidence regarding who shot him.

“Another substantial inconsistency in the JPI Report was the award of compensation to only one (1) out of the alleged nine (9), listed as “deceased” which showed that the JPI itself had doubts as to the death of eight (8) other allegedly deceased persons on its list. See page 304 of the JPI Report.

“The JPI also surprisingly awarded the sum of N10M to one Serah Ibrahim (listed as No. 14 on Page 304 of the Report).

“Serah Ibrahi was neither a Petitioner nor a Claimant before the JPI. On Page 179 0 the Report, Serah Ibrahim testified on oath that she did not have a petition before the Panel; neither did she have any claims for compensation.

“This award to Serah Ibrahim is also contrary to t provisions of section 13 Tribunal of Inquiry Law 2015 (Cap. T6 La of Lagos State) which prescribes that only witnesses requested summoned by a Tribunal of Inquiry is entitled to witness fees subject to the consent of the Attorney General. Serah Ibrahim did not testify at t request or summons of the Tribunal. See pages 17-18 of the Report for the list of summoned witnesses,” the paper stated.