THURSDAY- 18th November, 2021: The Lagos State Government has reacted to the controversy that greeted the leaked report of the Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Restitution for Victims of SARS Related Abuses and Other Matters.
The leak of the report on Monday, was greeted with divided reactions from many Nigerians.
While some were jubilant, and hailed the panel for declaring that a “massacre” happened at Lekki tollgate and protesters were killed, others doubted the contents of the report, pointing out loopholes and requesting the Lagos State Government to reject it.
However, the Lagos Commissioner of Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, said in a recent statement that it has good intention for setting up the panel.
The statement read, “The Lagos State Government has noted the various reactions that have followed the submission of the report of the Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Restitution for Victims of SARS Related Abuses and Other Matters. There have been arguments in the public space over the report.
“There is need for us to restrain ourselves from nullifying the good intentions of the government in setting up this Panel, which was well encouraged to do its job – a fact that was acknowledged by the Panel.
“In accordance with the Tribunal of Inquiry Law 2015, a committee has been set up to bring up a White Paper on the report to determine the next line of action. At the appropriate time, the Government will make known its views on all the issues raised by the Panel through the release of a White Paper.”◦
The panel had said at least nine persons were confirmed dead at the Lekki toll plaza on the night soldiers stormed there to disperse #EndSARS protesters on October 20, 2020.
