Coalition of Civil Society Organisations, (CSOs) have called for the establishment of a Standing Human Rights Committee to treat unresolved cases of Police Brutality and other arising cases of rights abuses, while urging the Lagos State government not to rewrite the recommendations of the panel.
The coalition includes the New Nigerian Network (NNN) Coalition for Revolution (CORE) and Representative of #EndSARS United and Radical Agenda Movement in the Nigerian Bar Association (RAMINBA).
Reacting to various perspectives consequent to the submission of the recommendations by the retired Justice Doris Okuwobi led Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Restitution for Victims of SARS-Related Abuses and Other Matters at a press conference held in Lagos on Monday, the Coalition salute the sense of courage of the panel while also urging the Lagos State Government to declare 20th October of every year as a remembrance day for the fallen youth of the #EndSARS protest.
Reeling out the charter of demands, spokesman of the coalition and Lead Counsel to #EndSARS, Barr Adesina Ogunlana called for the immediate release of all Nigerians arrested and dumped in various correctional centres in the course of the peaceful #EndSARS struggle with rehabilitation and adequate compensation paid.
The demands of the coalition include, “Immediate cancellation of the Lekki tollgates with the plaza to be renamed as a Memorial site for #EndSARS protest to “EndSARS Tollgate.”
The erection of a memorial monument at the Lekki tollgate with the names inscribed on the monument and the payment of compensation to the victims in cases emanating from the Lekki Incident of 20th October 2020 and a Special trust fund for compensation of Victims of the Lekki Toll Gate Incident of October 20, 2020, and other established and proven human rights abuses.
Comprehensive compensation for the families of those shot dead by the army and police operatives all over the country, during the protests and release of Reports of Panels of Inquiry in all the other 27 states where they were set up to the public amongst other demands.
The coalition cautioned the Lagos State Government against any departure from the clear and express positions of the panel, stressing that white paper that excludes the panel’s recommendations will be rejected in its entirety.
Consequent to the submission of the recommendations of the Lagos judicial panel of inquiry to the Lagos State Government, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had inaugurated a four-member committee led by the State’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice Moyosore Onigbanjo to raise a White Paper on the report submitted.
