Adesina Ogulana and Ayo Ademiluyi, lead and co-counsel to #EndSARS protesters at the Lagos state judicial panel of inquiry and restitution, have warned that they will reject any white paper that excludes the recommendation made by the judicial panel.
The lawyers in a joint statement on Monday asked Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to stick with its 14-days ultimatum and release the white paper by November 29.
They explained that their stand followed criticism of the report by paid analysts and apologists employed by the Lagos state government to discredit the report.
“We are quick to submit that, gauging from the vituperations of the apologists and paid analysts of Lagos State Government, the White Paper of the Lagos State Government will more or less be the re-writing of the Panel Report and its clear positions,” the lawyers said.
According to them, “We hereby give notice that where the White Paper departs from the clear and express positions of the Panel Report, we will be left with no choice than to reject same in its entirety.”
The Lagos judicial in its now-viral report submitted to the state government last week established that officers of the Nigerian Army “provocatively and unjustifiably” shot live bullets and killed several #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki Tollgate.
The report also said governor Sanwo-Olu invited the Nigerian soldiers who massacred unarmed and peaceful #EndSARS protesters.
However, while recommending that soldiers deployed to the Tollgate be dismissed from service, the panel also asked Mr Buhari to tender a public apology to Nigerian youths while declaring October 20 a national remembrance day for those killed during the protest.
The panel also demanded that the Lagos state Assembly should set up a Standing Human Rights Committee or Tribunal with representatives from the police, justice ministry, National Human Rights Commission, office of the Public Defender, Legal Aid Council, and CSOs.
It called for the prosecution of the DPO of Maroko Police Station alongside policemen deployed from Maroko Police Station for arbitrary and indiscriminate shooting and killing of protesters.