The Lagos judicial panel on police brutality submitted its report to the state government today November 15.
The panel submitted two sets of reports, a consolidated report on police brutality cases and the Lekki incident investigation to the state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu at the state government house in Ikeja.
Speaking after receiving the report, Governor Sanwo-Olu commended the panel and said the task ahead now involves the “difficult process of proper reconciliation and restitution”. He said the report will be submitted to the national economic council (NEC), adding that “proper response” will be accorded to the recommendations.
After receiving the panel report, the governor constituted a four-member committee headed by Moyosore Onigbanjo, the state’s attorney-general, to come up with a white paper on the panel’s recommendations within the next two weeks.
“I’m believing and trusting that this process will help us start the very difficult process of proper reconciliation, restitution, bringing together of anyone that must have been one form or the other being affected,” he said.
“By either the police or any of our citizens that must have been wronged by one form or the other, the process of healing, I imagine, with the submission of this panel report, will start that process.”the governor said.
On October 19, 2020, as part of recommendations put forward during the #EndSARS protests, the Lagos government inaugurated the judicial panel chaired by Justice Doris Okuwobi to investigate petitions on police brutality in the state. The sitting was initially meant to last for six months but the period of proceedings stretched into one year. The panel concluded its sitting on October 18, 2021, and said its findings and recommendations would be submitted to the state government.
186 of the 252 petitions submitted were deliberated upon and a total of N409.7 million was awarded to 70 petitioners.
