By Jesutomi Akomolafe
\Following the report by the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Restitution for Victims of SARS Related Abuses and other matters on Monday, Nigerians have called for the resignation of Lagos State Governor, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu for the massacre of young Nigerians at Lekki toll gate.
They added that President Muhammadu Buhari should address Nigerians urging him to sack the Minister of Information, Lai Muhammed for misleading international community on the matter.
Muhammed had described the claim on killings as a ‘phantom’ and as news media to “apologize for misleading the world that there was a massacre at the Lekki Toll Gate and for portraying the Nigerian military, police and other security agencies in a bad light.”
Calling for their resignations, Akande Rotimi said: “Call for action, with this report, it’s expected that the governor of Lagos State resign immediately and that the army generals and police leadership immediately dismiss all the command Chanel of that day and prosecute them.”
“The president should sack the minister of information for misleading international community and address Nigerians to apologise. International community should hold Niigerian government accountable for compensation and possible prosecution in ICC.”
Kayode Moronfolu said he believed the Governor as the chief security officer is aware of who gave the military order to interven at the protest grand and should resign while calling on more investigation into those reasonsible for turning off the lights on October 20, 2020.
” I believe the panel’ s report was not really adequate. In fact I am having a feeling that it is Sanwo-Olu that ordered for the military. It seems that the govt is not really open to the issue. If Sanwo-Olu was the one who gave the order he should resign. Justice has not been fully been served not until the military men be deal with. Nigerians need to know who gave that order,” he said.
Speaking on the report, Moses Adeboye said the report organised by the state is to change the narrative.
“I Think the panels report is just to please the citizens and say things for the people to believe for the main time and by the time they noticed no one is reacting they will kill the story.”
“Recently I saw online skit makers sitting with the Vice President and talking. I think the govt is also trying to get the influence of the comedians so that the matter will die down. I think adequate investigation has not been done on who gave the order, at the end everybody will move on,”
In its 309-page report Of Lekki Incident Investigation Of October 20, 2020 presented to Sanwo-Olu, on Monday, revealed that soldiers shot live ammunition at protesters intending to kill and maim them.
The Panel of Inquiry chaired by Doris Okuwobi, a retired judge with Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, a senior lawyer, Fredrick Taiwo Olakanu, a retired deputy inspector general of police and Patience Udoh as Members of the panels described the killings as intentional act.According to the panel report, “Officers of the Nigerian Army shot, injured and killed unarmed helpless and defenceless protesters, without provocation or justification, while they were waving the Nigerian Flag and singing the National Anthem and the manner of assault and killing could in context be described as a massacre,”
“shot, injured and killed unarmed helpless and defenceless protesters, without provocation or justification, while they were waving the Nigerian Flag and singing the National Anthem”
The panel also found that officers of the Nigeria Police Force who were deployed to the toll gate on the night of the incident “shot at, assaulted and battered unarmed protesters, which led to injuries and deaths,” thus aiding the army in the commission of a massacre on unarmed civilians.