LAGOS: Youth reps fume as Okuwobi-led panel grants LCC’s permission to repossess Lekki tollgate

*Say their views were not reflected in the ruling

MEMBERS of the State Judicial Panel of Enquiry and Restitution for Victims of SARS-related abuses and other matters disagreed today over the decision of the Chaiman of the panel to allow the Lekki Concession Company repossess the Lekki Toll Gate plaza.

The plaza has been taken over from LCC since the panel began sitting in October in the wake of the agitation against police brutality tagged #EndSARS protests.

The panel by retired Justice Doris Okuwobi said the decision became necessary to allow forensic experts hired by the Lagos State Government carry out their duty of combing the protest ground for evidence of shooting among others.

But today four of the members of the panel led by Okuwobi granted  LCC permission to repossess the plaza after taking arguments for and against the application made by counsel to the LCC Ltd, Demola Seriki for the re-opening of the facility.

The other four members who sat with Justice Okuwobi are Segun Awosanya (popularly known as Segalink), Oluwatoyin Odusanya (Director, Citizens right), DIG Taiwo Lakanu ( representing the police) and Lucas Koyejo (from the National Human Rights Commission).

Immediately after declaring her decision,  the judge and her team rose and left the venue.

But no sooner had they left the venue than other absent members walked in and proceeded to deliver their dissenting ruling.

The dissenters are: Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Mr Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, representing the Civil Society, Ms. Patience Udoh representing the Civil Society, Rinu Oduala and Temitope Majekodunmi, representing #EndSARS protesters also known as Youth representatives.

Their intention to read their dissenting ruling was interrupted by LCC lawyer, Rotimi Seriki and Lagos State Counsel, Enitan Thomas following which a shouting match ensued.

 The youth representatives, however, were still able to air their grievances through a statement issued after they were stopped from reading their dissenting ruling.

They noted that  their views were not reflected in the panel ruling.

They disagreed with the approval saying such move would hinder the successful completion of ongoing investigation on the incident.

The statement read in part, “The Youth Reps at the Lagos judicial panel of inquiry and restitution for victims of SARS related abuses & Lekki Toll Gate Incident will like to formally express our dissent to the Order allowing for the repossession of Lekki Toll Gate,”

It added “We’d like to remind the public this panel was set up on our 5 For 5 demands during the nationwide protests against police brutality. So any decision without considering the opinions of the Youth Reps reflected in the rulings will be in violation of Rules setting up this Panel

“We have made efforts to communicate our position on the application by LCC to take repossession of the Lekki Toll Gate to the Chairlady as required by the Rules of the Panel but our dissent wasn’t reflected in the ruling.”

The youth representatives said their position is in line with panel’s obligation of ensuring impartiality “throughout hearings for victims and contribute to fair, effective, efficient conduct of its hearings and more importantly, for voices of victims not be silenced in the course of this assignment”.

The youth representatives explained that the LCC has refused to provide critical information meant for the completion of forensic report.

They demanded that the Lekki toll gate should remain shut and under the purview of the panel until full investigations and hearings are concluded.

“We understand from the Forensic Report submitted by the expert employed by the panel, LCC management has, despite requests, failed to provide information, which include access to servers; who ordered the extraction of CCTV footage; date & time of extraction of the footage from the CCTV; method used for the extraction as well as such other information which may be useful for purposes of the forensic examination & report,” the statement added.

“None of these have been provided by LCC and so it is impossible to conclude that investigations are over. It is therefore imperative that the Lekki Toll Gate management should not allowed to repossess the toll gate until full investigations are concluded.

“This is especially important as victims of the Lekki Toll Incident are yet to be heard and the public is still in the dark on the full details of the Incidence(sic)

“Based on these fact, we are of the considered view that the Lekki Toll Gate remain shut and under the purview of the Panel until full investigations and hearings are concluded by this Panel.

“We do not have any intention to obstruct the rulings of the panel. We only want our dissent to be on record. We are committed to ensuring justice for victims.”