Connect with us
Advertisement

Nigeria News

Lai Mohammed: “It Is Really Sad” – Segalink Reacts As FG Rubbishes Lagos Judicial Panel Report

Published

on

Tinubu Must Avoid Ex-Govs From Occupying His Cabinet - EndSARS Convener, Segalink
Advertisement

Activist and member of the Lagos Judicial Panel, Segun Awosanya also known as Segalink has submitted that the federal government does not look like it wants justice and closure on the issues surrounding the #EndSARS protests and the Lekki Toll Gate incident.

Segalink stated this in reaction to the position of the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed who during a press conference on the matter in Abuja on Tuesday, described the report of the retired Justice Doris Okuwobi panel which was presented to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu last week as fake and a hoax, saying that the report was an “intimidation of the majority by a minority”.

He stated that the report circulating in social media cannot be relied upon, saying the document was full of discrepancies and errors.

The minister added that the Lagos judicial panel failed to address some of the issues raised by a ballistic expert that testified before it and the testimonies of the Nigerian Army.

Advertisement

He described the content of the report as “tales by moonlight”, insisting that there was no “massacre” at the Lekki toll gate on October 20, 2020.

Reacting, Segalink during an appearance on Channels TV interview programme, ‘Politics Today’ maintained that the Lagos Judicial Panel did a professional job.

He added that members of the committee were people of integrity who judiciously did the work given to them with all the resources available and made the report of their findings available to the Lagos State government.

Advertisement

Awosanya said it is presumptuous of the federal government through the Minister to discredit the report without studying it properly, noting that such behaviour is saddening.

He chided the government for behaving like it already knows all that happened during the protest including the Lekki Tollgate incident.

“Whatever term was used in the recommendations or the findings presented to the government — state or federal — was clearly defined in context,” he said.

Advertisement
Advertisement

“And I think that rather than react to the sound of the word or rather than react based on what the word might mean to them literally, they should read the report with understanding and know exactly where the panel is coming from and then do the needful.

“This is a country. This is a democracy and the people seek leadership; leadership that can actually do justice to issues. The essence of the panel itself is not to indict or punish anybody precisely.

“It is actually to bring about findings and recommendations that would ensure and ascertain healing of our society not denials.

“Why would the panel be set up in the first instance if the government knows exactly what went wrong, what happened or what transpired at locus locum? Why would you want to investigate if you already know?

“It is really sad for some of us to hear this because the panel was set up to actually assuage the people, to actually make the public know that the government is sincere enough to engage, to investigate and to come out with findings that they would do something about.

“But all these reactions show that they are not ready to do justice to the work done by the panel. I really won’t want to conclude like I said. It’s best to wait for the official response of the government.

“We’ve submitted to the Lagos state government. He gave his word that in two weeks he is going to respond to that, and after that response, we can have a robust debate on the outcome of that.

“Rather than project, react, catastrophise, I think it’s best we keep our powder dry for now. The panel did a professional work and it speaks for itself.”