Governor Sanwo-Olu’s invitation to sketch artist sparks reactions
•Panel legally constituted —Sanwo-Olu
•Says leaked document opened historic wounds, keeps mum on White Paper
•Invites Falz, Seun Kuti, Mr. Macaroni, others for talks
•As Falz, Macaroni decline gov’s invitation
THE Lagos State government, yesterday, released a White Paper on the report of the panel on Police Brutality and Lekki Tollgate killings, rejecting key guidelines of the report.
Of the 32 hints made through the panel, the government ordinary only 11.
One of the key pointers it rejected encompass the Lekki shootings which resulted in loss of life and injuries.
On Lekkit Tollgate shootings, the White Paper stated: “The findings are genuinely and manifestly now not supported by using the evidence before the JPI as attested to by the JPI itself, when it said there was once opposite evidence to that of Prof. John Obafunwa that solely one person died of gunshot wounds at LTG on October 21, 2020.
“Government is, therefore, unable to accept the finding that nine human beings died of gunshot wounds at LTG on October 20, 2020.
“It also follows that the irresistible conclusion to be drawn from the JPI’s acceptance of Prof Obafuawa’s testimony that solely one individual died of gunshot wounds at LTG on October 21, 2020, is that there was once no massacre at LTG, contextual or otherwise.
“The findings of the JPI that nine people died at LTG on October 20, 2020, from gunshots fired by using the army are based totally on assumptions and permutations.
“The inconsistencies and contradictions in the entire JPI Report concerning the variety of persons who died at LTG on October 20, 2020, and the cause of their demise rendered the JPI’s findings unacceptable and conclusively, their recommendation is totally unreliable and consequently unacceptable.”
On sanctions for security sellers involved in the Lekki tollgate shootings, the White Paper stated: “The Nigerian Army is an organisation that has its disciplinary tactics and techniques as set down by way of law, over which Lagos State has no control. Nevertheless, Lagos State government will ahead this suggestion to suitable authorities for their consideration and action.”
On the release of those arrested throughout the EndSARS protest, as recommended by using the panel, the White Paper stated: “The problem of grant of bail is a be counted inside the unique maintain of the judiciary, Lagos State government, however, notes the recommendation.”
The White Paper rejected the immortalization of these who died on October 20, 2020, as encouraged with the aid of the panel, sayingthe state government does now not have the powers to declare any day a National Day. It also contended that solely the Federal Government had the electricity to do so.
The White Paper, however, prevalent the suggestion that on October 20 of each and every year, the Lekki tollgate should be toll-free to motorists.
On the issue of putting up a specific have faith fund to compensate EndSARS victims, the White Paper frequent the recommendation, announcing it will be forwarded to the Federal Government and the National Executive Council, NEC.
On the panel’s guidelines that the Lekki Tollgate plaza be made a memorial web site for END SARS through renaming it ENDSARS tollgate, the White Paper said it would instead designate a park in the kingdom and title it Peace Park to serve as a reminder to citizens of the country of the peaceful protest all over the nation in opposition to abuse of human rights.”
Panel legally constituted—Sanwo-Olu
Earlier, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had insisted that the panel set up to tackle issues of police brutality and Lekki tollgate killings in Lagos were legally constituted, pronouncing the leaked panel document was once unauthorised.
Minister of State for Labour, Mr. Festus Keyamo, SAN, had while appearing on a private television station on Sunday, said the #EmdSARS panels throughout the usa were illegal.
The governor also disclosed plans to organise a historical peace stroll in December as phase of measures to the recovery of the state in specific and the u . s . in general.
Sanwo-Olu, who disclosed this whilst addressing newsmen on the result of Lekki Toll Gate panel report, at kingdom House, Alausa, Ikeja, specifically, invited Folarin Falana (Falz), Debo Adebayo (Mr. Marcaroni), Dele Farotimi, Temitope Majekodunmi, Segun Awosanya (Segalinks), Adedotun (Just Detoun), Seun Kuti, Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu; and Commander of Rapid Response Squad, RRS, CSP Yinka Egbeyemi, among others, to join him in the march.
He said: “It is with a awesome sense of accountability that I address you nowadays (yesterday) on the reactions that have trailed the release of the #EndSARS Judicial Panel of Inquiry Report submitted to me two weeks ago, and how it has performed out in public discourse considering the fact that then.
“I consider and have constantly been vocal about this that we owe it to you, the humans of Lagos, to continuously talk and interact with you.
“In convenient times, in difficult circumstances, we will by no means shy away from making our case to you, while additionally ensuring that we listen to you.
“I will start via saying that we, as an administration, are decided that the next steps that will be taken in this procedure of coming to terms with the occasions of October 2020, must bring closure to a painful episode in the history of our state, with the launch of the White Paper later today (yesterday)
“This, in my view, is a second that beckons us to define who and what we are as a people.
“To be a Centre of Excellence, we need to be a Centre of Truth. To be a smart city, we first have to be simply one. To be a affluent state, we need to establish ourselves as a peaceable entity. And to obtain the Greater Lagos of our desires we should research to stay in harmony, even amidst inevitable disagreement.
“In instances like these, with anger and animosity too rapid and quickly at hand, it is easy to cover behind our prejudices, treating them as deeper truths, as an alternative of the superficial lies they are.
“It is far too easy to take aspects and pick emotion over fact, even when the fact is to be discovered in colorations of nuance. It is convenient to choose darkness over light; to take perverse delight in enjoying unhelpful video games of cynicism and suspicion; to dangle to beliefs that do now not elevate the weight of verifiable evidence.
“To turn out to be a champion of prejudice is to very own a fleeting and false victory. It is a victory of rancour over reason, of vengeance over justice, of anger over compassion.
“Today, I stand earlier than you to declare that I reject this path; and I invite you all to do same.
“I rejected to be section of the controversy, disharmony brought on by using the unauthorised leaked panel report.
“The choice confronting us today is between restoring higher harmony or doing larger harm. I choose harmony over harm. As your governor, it is my task to explain why all Lagosians have to be a part of me on this route that guarantees a extra advisable future.
Falz, Macaroni decline gov’s invitation
Meanwhile, Falz has declined the governor’s invites to a peace walk, describing it as a funny story and a very disrespectful one.
Similarly, popular comedian and skit maker, Debo Adebayo, fondly known as Mr. Macaroni, additionally stated the governor put into effect the suggestions of the panel on police brutality than appear for celebrities to carry into peace walks.
Speaking on his Facebook page, Macaroni said: “I humbly decline the invitation of Mr Governor. The government itself set up a panel. The panel has made recommendations. I accept as true with authentic peacemaking will commence via first enforcing the recommendations of the panel. Then we can begin to believe the government.
“Mr Governor has stated it in his speech. That to be a Center of Excellence, we have to be a Center of Truth. Before there can be healing, the government has to be sincere. There have to be acceptance of wrongdoings and willingness to correct them.”
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