President Muhammadu Buhari has stated that the Lagos State Judicial Panel has his full support, and expressed confidence in the outcomes of other panels set up by states.
The President disclosed this in a social media broadcast late Sunday evening.
The Judicial Panel of Inquiry set up by the Lagos State Govt has my full support,as it commences sitting this week. I‘m confident that all the State Panels will help ensure justice is done on behalf of the peaceful protesters and law enforcement agents who sadly lost their lives.
— Muhammadu Buhari (@MBuhari) October 25, 2020
“The Judicial Panel of Inquiry set up by the Lagos State Govt has my full support, as it commences sitting this week. I‘m confident that all the State Panels will help ensure justice is done on behalf of the peaceful protesters and law enforcement agents who sadly lost their lives,” Buhari said on Sunday.
What you should know
Following the nationwide protests against police brutality, tagged #EndSARS, one of the demands of the protesters was an establishment of a panel of judicial enquiry to try officers who have been involved in cases of human rights abuses and to give justice to victims and their families.
Recall that Nairametrics reported that the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, had said that Lagos State would not burn on his watch, as he tried to calm things down after hoodlums wreaked havoc, post-Lekki shootings, and announced that the judicial panel set up by the state would include the incident at Lekki toll gate.
This came after the Vice President of Nigeria, Yemi Osinbajo, broke his silence on the #EndSARS protests last week, to announce that the 36 State Governors and the FCT Minister would set up judicial panels of inquiry that would adopt public hearings.
The #EndSARS protests gathered even more international coverage last week, after the Lekki shootings. Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila also announced that it was unavoidably and painfully clear that there were a number of casualties, as a result of gunfire at the Lekki toll gate.
What this means
Buhari’s national broadcast last week may not have mentioned anything about the widely talked about Lekki shootings as most Nigerians had expected, but the President’s endorsement of the state judicial panel of enquiry may be a step in the direction of regaining the confidence and trust of the people, reflecting the fact that their voices are beginning to be heard.
