Lekki toll gate shooting: Lagos panel of inquiry incompetent – Group

The Women for Peace, Justice and Human Rights has called on the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu to stay away from the state’s Panel of Inquiry and Restitution probing the alleged shooting of End SARS protesters in Lekki toll gate.

The group said the panel was a charade put together to deceive people of the state and absolve Sanwo-Olu of any wrongdoing in the Lekki toll gate incident.

President of the group, Tofi Sewuese Lynda, who made the call while addressing journalists on Tuesday, urged President Muhammadu Buhari, the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami to stop the panel from compounding the challenges in the country.

According to Lynda: “I welcome you all to this important press conference put together in the light of the recent happenings in the country with regards to the activities of the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry and Restitution, set up by the Lagos State Government to investigate the circumstances that led to the shooting of protesters at the Lekki Tollgate.

“While it is a commendable venture, however, it is now worrisome that the Judicial Panel of Inquiry and Restitution has somewhat displayed a bias for dancing to the whims and caprices of the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

“The Women for Peace, Justice and Human Rights Initiative views such disposition as quite insensitive and a total disregard for the human rights of the victims of the violence that wreaked havoc in Lagos state.

“The panel has not only displayed a bias to do the bidding of the Lagos State governor, it has also indicated that the whole essence of the panel is a charade put together to deceive the people and absolving the guilty of any wrongdoing.

“We view such as not only despicable, it is uncharitable, insensitive and a display of deceit of the highest level considering the desperate ploy to cover up the issues and resorting to the usage of blackmail and judicial harassment to intimidate the people.

“We also wish to bring to the attention of the generality of Nigerians that it is no secret that the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu is an interested party in the ongoing investigations. Therefore he cannot be seen to be fair to all in unravelling the circumstances that led to the escalation of violence in the state.

“This much has been displayed by members of the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry and Restitution with the grand plot of absolving Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of any wrongdoing in the events that led to the escalation of violence in the state.

“The Women for Peace, Justice and Human Rights Initiative is appalled that despite the sensitivity of the issues on the ground, the members of the Judicial Panel of Inquiry and Restitution have refused to be circumspect, they have refused to put the interest of the people at heart, instead, they have elected to be sentimental and play politics not minding the implication of their actions in the overall healing process.

“We are terrified how a supposed Judicial Panel of Inquiry and Restitution would be so hijacked to the extent that every tom, dick and harry can see the handwriting on the wall with regards to the commitment to be fair to all concerned.

“We are therefore calling on the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to in the national interest halt further proceedings of the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry and Restitution due to the unwholesome interference of the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu in the activities of the panel.

“The AGF and Minister of Justice must ensure that the caricature that has characterized the proceedings at the Lagos Stats Judicial Panel of Inquiry is halted in the overall interest of the country as if it is allowed to continue, we might end up dealing with a crisis of unimaginable proportion.

“We are also calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to mandate the Attorney General of the Federation and the Minister of Justice to ensure that the proceedings at the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry and Restitution do not further compound our challenges in the country.”