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#EndSARS: Lagos Judicial Panel Resumes Sitting (Day 5)

The Judicial Panel of Inquiry and Restitution set up by the Lagos State Government to investigate police brutality and high-handedness by some officials of the now-disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) has commended its fifth sitting.


Day five of the sitting of the Lagos State panel of Judiciary and Inquiry. Source: Editi Effiong

 

The Judicial Panel of Inquiry and Restitution set up by the Lagos State Government to investigate police brutality and high-handedness by some officials of the now-disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) has commended its fifth sitting.

The meeting which commenced at about 11:00 am Friday has in attendance the Managing Director of the Lekki Concession Company (LCC), counsel to the LCC, Rotimi Seriki Esq; counsel to the Lagos State Govt, A.J. Owonikoko (SAN) and counsel to the #EndSARS protesters, Adeshina Ademola Ogunlana, among others.

First on the list of cases to be called was the case of the Lekki shooting which occurred on October 20.

Mr Ogunlana made an appearance for the #EndSARS protesters. At first, his appearance was objected to, by the opposing counsel on the grounds that the #EndSARS protesters were not recognised by law.


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After much argument, he presented three ladies as representatives of the protesters.

Justice Doris Okuwobi then ruled that Mr Ogunlana could represent the protesters as they have been represented by persons.

The panel, thereafter, proceeded to watch the footage from the day of the shooting. The footage started from 12:00 am on October 20.

More petitioners are also expected to be heard at the sitting today.

In previous sittings, petitioners have come up to share grisly details of their ordeal in the hands of some rogue SARS officers.

One man had shared details of how he was thrown off a story-building and eventually broke his spine. Another said he was arrested and tortured to the point of losing his teeth, while a woman allegedly lost two pregnancies, according to her account.

The panel is expected to look into such incidents among many other untold stories, with a view to ensuring justice for those involved.