Lagos EndSARS Panel Report; Sanwo Olu Deserves Commendation – Youth Alliance

 

The Integrity Youth Alliance has commended the Lagos State Governor, Sanwo-Olu for not interfering in the Lagos State EndSARS Panel.

According to a press release on Tuesday, 16th November, 2021 jointly signed by its National Coordinator, Kelvin Adegbenga and National Publicity Secretary, Danjuma Lamido, they pointed out that the panel had operated independently while commending members of the Justice Okuwobi-led panel for a job well done.

It will be recalled that in October 2020, young people across Nigeria took to the streets calling for disbanding an abusive police unit known as the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and for ending brutality in movement tagged #EndSARS, the statement said.

The statement read further, “As a result of the violence which led to several police stations being burnt, policemen killed, suspects in police custody released and weapons carted away; the Lagos State Government had to invite the Nigerian Army to intervene in the fallout of the #EndSARS protest.

"The situation was quickly degenerating into anarchy. It was at this point that Lagos State Government requested for the military to intervene in order to restore normalcy, the statement said.

The Alliance reiterated that the world over, it is the custom that the army intervenes when a situation overcomes the police and paramilitary services. The occurrences that took place from October 18 were nothing short of lawlessness and violence.

“It was these incidents that made the Governor of Lagos State ask for military intervention and in our opinion, that was the correct thing to do since the Police had been overrun and Policemen were fighting for their dear lives.

“It is on record that the Justice Doris Okuwobi-led panel highly praised  the Lagos State Governor for compensating those deserving cases of police abuses while a special case was made for victims of the Lekki Toll Gate Incident of October 20, 2020.

“True to his word, the Governor of Lagos State granted total independence to the Panel, as they worked according to their conscience and based upon their common convictions, the statement said.

It will be recalled that the Governor Sanwo -Olu invited the military to restore normalcy and it the duty of the military to follow all laid down procedures for Internal Security operations and confines of the Rules of Engagement (ROE) for Internal Security operations.

"We commend the Justice Doris Okuwobi-led panel for its revelation in a 309-page report submitted to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State on Monday and called on the Federal Government and Lagos State to critically look into the 32 Recommendations by the Panel for implementation, the statement concluded.

Nnamdi Kanu’s Defence Team Walked Out On Justice Binta Nyako

Contrary to the report from Bar Ejiofor, the lead counsel and some section of the media, that Nnamdi Kanu’s defence teams were locked out of the Federal High Court room during the proceedings.

The proceedings resumed after Justice Binta Nyako entered the courtroom, Mohammed Abubakar, announced an appearance for the prosecution.

However, the defence team, led by Bar. Ejiofor were nowhere to be found, prompting Justice Binta Nyako to ask Nnamdi Kanu of his Defence team whereabouts.

In his response, Nnamdi Kanu said his lawyers were protesting the denial of access to Mr Fein, the IPOB lawyer from the United States, who was in Court premises to observe the day’s session.

But the Judge, who was visibly unhappy about the walk-out, said she will not dismiss the application, against the wish of the Prosecutor, Mohammed Abubakar, who asked the court to dismiss Nnamdi Kanu’s pending applications

It will be recalled that a diplomat from the British High Commission, who was in the courtroom to watch proceedings was allowed because she had written the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, seeking the consent of the court to attend  sitting.

Nnamdi Kanu US lawyer, Bruce Fein should have followed the same process the diplomat from the British High Commission took by writing the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court.

Thereafter, the Judge adjourned the suit till January 19 and 20, 2022 for trial.

It was gathered that few Journalists and lawyers were allowed into the courtroom in observance of the COVID 19 Protocol and due to the  capacity of the court room.

Nnamdi Kanu is being tried on charges of treasonable felony regarding his separatist activities. The trial was scheduled to resume before Justice Binta Nyako, for arguments on an application challenging the court’s jurisdiction to hear the case.

The separatist, who was granted bail in April 2017, fled the country after the invasion of his home in Afara-Ukwu, near Umuahia, Abia State, by the military in September that year, a situation one of Nnamdi  Kanu’s lawyers, Alloy Ejimakor, described as the “rule of self-preservation.”

Justice Binta Nyako subsequently revoked his bail for ditching his trial, and ordered his trial to be separated from the rest of the co-defendants’.

While the trial of the rest of the defendants has made some progress, Nnamdi Kanu’s case has been stalled since 2017.

On June 29, 2021, the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, announced that Nnamdi Kanu had been rearrested and brought back to Nigeria to continue facing his trial.