We’ve identified barracks of soldiers who shot End SARS protesters at Lekki tollgate – Falana

Human Rights lawyer, Femi Falana, on Monday said his group has identified the barracks where the soldiers who shot End SARS protesters at Lekki toll gate came from.

Some soldiers had shot and killed some unarmed End SARS protesters seated at the Lekki toll gate in Lagos State.

Following the outcry that greeted the incident, the military had denied the involvement of soldiers in the shooting.

However, Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Falana insists that soldiers were present at the Lekki toll gate and shot at protesters that day.

Speaking on Television, Falana maintained that there was evidence of soldiers shooting at the tollgate gate.

According to Falana: “We have already identified the barracks where the soldiers left for Lekki, we have already identified the barracks.

“The President was likely to have been told, soldiers were ordered, so, I want to believe that was why it was not addressed and they said it was a rumour but I think the facts are emerging now, that indeed soldiers went to Lekki, indeed they fired at protesters and indeed some of the protesters at least two have been officially acknowledged to have died from gunshot wounds.”

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry for Restitution for Victims of SARS related abuses and the Lekki Tollgate Incident has urged victims of the October 20 shooting of End SARS protesters by the Army to come forward with their petitions.

The body made the call during its sitting on Monday in Lagos.

Justice Doris Okuwobi (Rtd), the chairperson of the panel, also said that the judicial panel had so far received 15 petitions from abuse victims of the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

Okuwobi explained that the panel is independent of the Lagos State Government and will ensure that individuals with valid complaints of human rights violations will receive immediate compensation.

“If their cases are disposed of in a month or two, compensation, if recommended, should go to the victims immediately to assuage their pain.

“We are looking forward to memoranda from those affected by the unfortunate incident of the shooting at the Lekki Tollgate plaza by the military.

“The panel has received not less than 15 petitions relating to the disbanded SARS.

“We are indeed ready to commence the public sitting. The petitions are here without the petitioners around. The panel will start full proceedings tomorrow (October 27).

“We are relying on the civil society to assist the panel with credible evidence of the killings at the Lekki Tollgate Plaza.

“This is to ensure that there will be good evidence to assist the panel make appropriate recommendations in respect of all terms of reference of the panel,” she said.

Okuwobi also said the panel could not begin proceedings immediately because the nominations for the two youth representatives who are to sit as part of the eight-man panel was sent in late.

She noted that the two nominated youth representatives had not yet been sworn-in and could not join the panel for Monday’s proceedings.

“The panel will most definitely sit tomorrow (today, Tuesday) because they would have been sworn-in and the composition will be complete,” she said.

 

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