S/West ministers to FG: Undertake thorough investigation into military role at Lekki tollgate

MINISTERS from the South-West have called on the Federal Government to assist the Lagos State Government in rebuilding some of the public facilities vandalised during the #EndSARS protests hijacked by hoodlums in the state

The ministers also urged the government to investigate the involvement of the military in the reported shooting of protesting youths at the Lekki toll gate.

Two weeks ago, some southwestern members of the National Assembly and ministers had visited the Lagos State governor over the destruction and, promised to “lobby” the federal government to assist in restoring facilities destroyed.

The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, speaking on behalf of his colleagues, disclosed these to journalists yesterday at the end of the weekly meeting of the Federal Executive Council presided over by the President Buhari.

Fashola, former governor of Lagos, said he briefed the council on how they executed the presidential directive of October 21, 2020 that ministers should visit their states and state governors.

He said after meeting with state governors from the zone, it was decided that being the epicentre of the violence, they should all visit Lagos State, a directive he added was obeyed.

He said, “The summary of the report presented to us by the Lagos State Government is that about 15 police stations were lost, commercial undertakings, especially the ones in Lekki and many other parts in Surulere were damaged. Some schools were also damaged, private properties were also damaged.

“Public buildings like the City Hall, the Lagos High Court, Lagos Forensic Laboratory and DNA Centre, the Nigeria Ports Authority were also damaged.

“The palace of the Oba of Lagos and many others were damaged. So, we presented the documentary evidence presented to us by the government of Lagos State which was shown to the council.

“Then we visited a few palaces; the Lagos High Court, led by the governor of Lagos, Babajide Sanwo-Olu. We visited NPA, forensic laboratory and the Lekki Toll Plaza as well and as you all know; we found some items which we handed over to the state government at the site.”

On the shooting at the Lekki tollgate, Fashola added, “We also urged the Federal Government to undertake a thorough investigation into what happened at the Lekki Toll Plaza, particularly the role of the military and ensure that the outcome is made public with a view to achieving closure on the matter.

“We recommended that the Federal Government re-mobilise critical organs and agencies such as the National Orientation Agency and formal educational institutions to focus on ethical re-orientation, inculcation of family values into the school curriculum.”

Nigerian youths in large number agitating against police brutality had turned the Lekki tollgate into their protest ground.

But two weeks after the protest began, the Lagos State government declared a curfew. The protesters, however, defied the curfew and stayed put at the protest ground.

The day the curfew took effect, some men in military fatigues opened fire on the protesters at the Lekki tollgate.

The incident, which sparked outrage both locally and internationally, gave hoodlums the opportunity to take advantage of the protest and wreak havoc on both public and private properties.