The Lagos State Government has rejected the report of the Judicial Panel of Inquiry into police brutality on the alleged Lekki Tollgate killings of October 20, 2020.
The state government in its white paper, described the report as contradictory.
The White Paper also wondered on the findings of nine (9) deaths at LTG on 20 October because apart from merely listing out their names in that form at pages 297-298, the JPI did not explain the circumstances surrounding their deaths.
“It is quite astonishing that in the list of eleven (11) deaths set at pages 297-298, two (2) of the names appeared twice (Kolade Salam, Folorunsho Olabisi as Nos. 37 and 38). Furthermore, the person listed, as No. 46 Nathaniel Solomon who testified as a witness and petitioned the JPI in respect of his brother who he allegedly died at LTC, himself listed as having died at LTG on 20th October 2020.
“ Remarkably, Nathaniel Solomon’s deceased brother (Abata Soloma, was then also listed as No2 on the list of persons who died at LTG.
It stated that the only victim of gunshot injury from LTG was picked up at 7:43 on 21th October 2020 after the curfew commenced (see page 99) and no evidence as to who shot him was presented before the JPI.
The white paper frowned at the award of the sum of N10m to one Serah Ibrahim (listed as No. 14 on Page 304 of the Report), whereas, she testified on oath that she had no petition nor claim for compensation before the panel.
“This award to Serah Ibrahim is also contrary to the provisions of section 13 Tribunal of Inquiry Law 2015 (Cap. T6 La of Lagos State) which prescribes that only witnesses summoned by a Tribunal of Inquiry are entitled to witness fees subject to consent of the Attorney General. Serah Ibrahim did not testify at t request or summons of the Tribunal.’’
Another inconsistency in the JPI report was the award of compensation to only one out of the alleged nine “deceased” thus making the JPI cast doubts as to the deaths of the with others on the list.
‘’On the basis of the above fundamental inconsistencies in the findings the JPI regarding the nine (9) deaths at LTG and particularly because the findings are clearly and mainly not supported by evidence, before the JPI as attested to by the JPI itself, when it said there was no contrary evidence to that of Prof. Obafunwa that only one person died at LTG of gunshot wounds at LTG on 20th October 2020.” The white paper added.
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