EndSARS Panel: Sanwo-Olu States His Belief On Lekki Toll Gate Shooting

The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Tuesday reacted to the report of the Judicial Panel of Inquiry on the shooting at Lekki Toll Gate and other acts of police brutality around the State.

Naija News had reported earlier that the White Paper on the report by the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Restitution for Victims of SARS Related Abuses and other matters was released on Tuesday, 30th November 2021.

The said White Paper which was issued by the promise made by the state governor earlier on the same day has, however, faulted a version of the endsars panel report which claimed the deaths of many protesters during last year protest at Lekki.

Lagos State government said it disagreed with the judicial panel of inquiry and rejected its earlier submission that nine persons were killed at the Lekki Toll Gate when soldiers opened fire on protesters last year.

Naija News understands that the panel had said that through its investigations, it found out that at least 46 unarmed protesters were either killed, injured with bullets, or assaulted by security forces at the Lekki toll gate on October 20, 2020.

The Federal Government of Nigeria has also since rejected the report.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed made headlines after faulting the reports on behalf of the Nigerian government, described it as a tale of moonlight.

On his part on Tuesday Sanwo-Olu said it is unfortunate that the EndSars panel report leaked online only reopened a deep wound.

He said to residents of the state that it is easy for them to hide behind their own prejudices and treat them as deeper truths “instead of the superficial lies they are”

Sanwo-Olu added: “In times like these, with anger and animosity too quick and fast at hand, it is easy to hide behind our own prejudices, treating them as deeper truths instead of the superficial lies they are.

“It is far too easy to take sides and choose emotion over fact, even when the truth is to be found in shades of nuance. It is easy to choose darkness over light; to take perverse delight in playing unhelpful games of cynicism and suspicion; to cling to beliefs that do not carry the weight of verifiable evidence,” he said.

Sanwo-Olu said he believes in harmony other than harm.

“As your Governor, it is my task to explain why all Lagosians should join me on this path that promises a more beneficial future,” Sanwo-Olu reiterated.