UPDATES on Leaked #EndSARS Report and the Mysteries Behind.
The report of the Lagos judicial panel on police brutality which was leaked to the public after it was submitted to the Lagos State Government has been revealed to have errors by Temitope Majekodunmi, a youth representative on the panel.
Recall that on Monday, the panel submitted two documents — a consolidated report on cases of police brutality and another on the Lekki incident investigation — to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Hours after submission of the report, the 309-page document appeared in the media space.
In the report, the panel said the “killing of unarmed protesters by soldiers on October 20, 2020 could be described in the context of a ‘massacre’”.
SEE The Errors Spotted In The Leaked Report
The report has elicited varied reactions, with some persons citing errors in the document currently in circulation.
For instance, on pages 297 and 298, which have the list of casualties, numbers 37 and 38 are repeated, making it appear that 11 deaths were recorded instead of nine.
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Reacting to the development, Majekodunmi, in a statement on Wednesday, said the errors were corrected before final submission, adding that the leaked report in circulation is not far from the original.
“A leaked report of the Panel has been in circulation since yesterday, and I got numerous calls and messages from various persons asking me to confirm if the report was authentic,” he said.
“While others were particular about the error of name duplications, it is imperative to note that the leaked report in circulation is not far from the original, but I can confirm that the original is without all the identified errors.
“Furthermore, we did approve the report for print after several reviews of a typographical error, omission of some documents but duplicated as final edit; final, final edits and final of the finals of edit.
“Regardless of errors identified, it is important that we stick to the facts of the findings and its recommendations contained therein and also interpret appropriately.
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“This report is all encompassing for the reasoning of peace and justice. I am sure every one of you must have gone through the details.
“To provide a summary, you can find an executive summary of the report on pages 11-15, background on page 16, general proceedings on pages 17-280, panel findings on pages 281-304, a compendium of recommendations on pages 305-300 und the conclusion to page 305.
“The report of the panel further validates our position that peaceful protesters were injured and/or killed by security operatives who were meant to protect us. The findings of the panel, and most importantly, the recommendations are now in the public domain.
“In conclusion, it is not the time to rest nor sleep; it is the time to peacefully demand accountability and ensure that the recommendations of the panel are implemented.
“It is the time to ensure that our fallen heroes do not die in vain, and that citizens of Nigeria are never afraid to peacefully protest in their native country.”
Nigerians Warn Against Tampering With Panel Report
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Following the recent release of the report of the Judicial Panel of Enquiry on the Lagos #EndSARS protest, which indicted the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Police Force and the Lekki Concession Company (LCC), Nigerians, including a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), have called on Lagos State government not to tamper with the report.
They warned that any attempt by Lagos government to pad the report would further widen the gap of distrust that already exists between the people the government.
Reacting to the four-man committee constituted by the Lagos State government to further look into the report with a view to developing a government whitepaper on the report, Nigerians said the committee members must not change the recommendations of the panel and must review the report line by line, without making additional recommendations.
This is just as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Femi Okunnu, has advised well-meaning Nigerians to exercise patience regarding the reports being circulated.
A SAN who spoke presently on the matter called on everybody to wait for the official government copy duly signed by the chairman of the panel, Justice Doris Okuwobi and the other members of the panel, noting that it will be the only authentic report of the panel.
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According to him, government cannot doctor the report because members of the panel have their own signed copies.
“The report should be published and presented to the public in full whether or not it criticizes the federal government, Lagos State Government, the army, or the police. The purpose of the white paper is for the government to set out its own views of the report and not to argue with the panel. It will speak volume if it accepts or rejects the panel’s recommendations. Also, it is not to rewrite a report, it is to set out government’s views of the panel report and what it intends to do, and all these must be in a public glare,” he said.
Okunnu, however, called on the press to be at alert to ensure that the government publishes the report in full.
“We should have confidence that the government will not dare to doctor either volume one or volume two of the report,” he added.Counsel to the #EndSARS protesters at the Judicial panel, Mr. Adesina Ogunlana, who also spoke yesterday on the Morning Show of ARISE NEWS Channel, commended the panel for conducting its self honorably.
According to Ogunlana, Lagos State government was under trial as the reports has been presented and it is now up to them whether they could abide by the recommendations of a panel that they set up.
Ogunlana said: “Asides from compensation, you should prosecute by yourself instead of going to United Nations or any other body which I don’t support as it’s a problem created by Nigerians in Nigeria. So, let Nigerians deal with it responsibly and honorably.”
Lagos Govt. Warns Nigerians And Argument Over Report Continues
The Lagos government has called for restraint over “arguments” on the report of the state judicial panel on police brutality.
Speaking after the report was submitted, Sanwo-Olu constituted a four-member committee to come up with a white paper on the recommendations of the panel within two weeks.
Reacting to the development in a statement issued on Wednesday by Gbenga Omotoso, commissioner for information, the Lagos government said there is a need to exercise restraint from nullifying the good intentions behind setting up the panel.
“The Lagos state government has noted the various reactions that have followed the submission of the report of the judicial panel of inquiry on restitution for victims of SARS related abuses and other matters,” the statement reads.
“There have been arguments in the public space over the report. There is a need for us to restrain ourselves from nullifying the good intentions of the government in setting up this panel, which was well encouraged to do its job – a fact that was acknowledged by the Panel.
“In accordance with the Tribunal of Inquiry Law 2015, a committee has been set up to bring up a white paper on the report to determine the next line of action.
“At the appropriate time, the government will make known its views on all the issues raised by the panel through the release of a white paper.”
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