The Lagos State Judicial Panel on Restitution for victims of police brutality and other related matters has returned control of the Lekki toll gate plaza to its owners, the Lekki Concession Company (LCC).

During the proceedings on Saturday, the Chairman of the panel, Justice Doris Okuwobi, gave a ruling allowing the Lekki Concession Company (LCC) Ltd to repossess the toll gate.

Justice Okuwobi sitting with four other members of the panel listened to arguments for and against the application made by counsel to the LCC Ltd, Demola Seriki for the re-opening of the facility.

It’s the 4th time the LCC is making the application.

The other four members who sat with Justice Okuwobi are Segun Awosanya (popularly known as Segalink), Oluwatoyin Odusanya (Director, Citizen’s Right), DIG Taiwo Lakanu ( representing the police) and Lucas Koyejo (from the National Human Rights Commission).

In his arguments in support of the application, Seriki asked the panel to allow the company take possession of the toll gate plaza for the purpose of evaluating the damage done so as to be able to make insurance claims needed to effect the necessary repairs which he says will last about 2 months.

Immediately after the panel ruling in his favour, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa walked in with the other three members of the panel, Patience Udoh (representing civil society), Rinuola Oduola and Temitope Majekodunmi (representing the youths).

They all proceeded to deliver dissenting decisions to the effect that they were not in support of the repossession and the reopening of the Lekki toll plaza.

Youth representatives at the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Saturday opposed the reopening of the Lekki toll gate.

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa also noted that reopening the toll-gate at this time would be hasty and premature.

Chairman of the Judicial Panel, Justice Doris Okuwobi earlier on Saturday ruled that the Lekki Concession Company (LCC) could repossess the toll gate, which has been closed since October.

In a statement published on Twitter after the ruling, the youth representatives, Rinu Oduala and Temitope Majekodunmi, said their “dissent wasn’t reflected in the ruling.”

According to the representatives, the incidents that led to the closure of the toll gate are yet to be resolved.

On October 20, military officials shot at #EndSARS protesters occupying the toll gate, in what has been described as a massacre by eyewitnesses. However, the Nigerian government and military have denied any wrongdoing.

“We must highlight clearly, what is of critical importance to ensure there is a full & thorough investigation into the Lekki Toll Gate incidence; ensure justice for all victims; & that any & every one found culpable is identified & recommended for appropriate action under the law,” the youth representatives said in their statement.

“We understand from the Forensic Report submitted by the expert employed by the panel, LCC management has, despite requests, failed to provide information, which includes access to servers; who ordered the extraction of CCTV footage; date & time of extraction of the footage from the CCTV; method used for the extraction as well as such other information which may be useful for purposes of the forensic examination & report.

“None of these have been provided by LCC and so it is impossible to conclude that investigations are over. It is therefore imperative that the Lekki Toll Gate management should not be allowed to repossess the toll gate until full investigations are concluded

“This is especially important as victims of the Lekki Toll Incident are yet to be heard and the public is still in the dark on the full details of the Incidence.

“Based on these facts, we are of the considered view that the Lekki Toll Gate remain shut and under the purview of the Panel until full investigations and hearings are concluded by this Panel.

“We do not have any intention to obstruct the rulings of the panel. We only want our dissent to be on record. We are committed to ensuring justice for victims.”

In his dissenting statement, Adegboruwa, who is also a human rights lawyer, averred that the panel is yet to come to any findings in respect of the October 20 events and any takeover by LCC will be prejudicial to the ultimate findings of the panel.

He also said that the panel is yet to ascertain the claims and counterclaims of fatalities and massacre of citizens on October 20 and if indeed such is established, a takeover at this time will be insensitive, callous, and totally uncharitable to the memories of those who may have died.

“The panel commissioned a forensic expert to undertake a forensic examination of the toll plaza, to examine documents, videos & CCT footages submitted and the panel is yet to receive a comprehensive report or the full details of the forensic report,” he said.

He also noted that the panel has summoned the Lagos State Government to appear and offer its accounts of October 20, especially following serious allegations made by the Nigerian Army against the state government.

“The Governor of Lagos in an open broadcast promised to handover to the panel a camera picked up by the Hon. Minister of works & housing, Babatunde Fashola (SAN),” he added. “This has not happened.

“Allegations have also been made against the company responsible for the billboards at the Admiralty Toll Plaza as to who did and why the electricity was switched off on October 20 prior to the invasion by the army. The company is yet to appear before the panel.

“Summons have been issued for the appearance and testimony of the Chief Pathologist of Lagos to tender autopsy reports of death and CCTV footages of all mortuaries in Lagos from Oct 20. They are yet to appear”.

He stressed that a takeover of the toll plaza by this time is hasty, premature, and will overreach the work and eventual recommendations of the panel.

I want justice for my husband slain by Okokomaiko police station officers in 2018 – petitioner tells Lagos panel.The Lagos state judicial panel on restitution for victims of SARS related abuses and other matters continued it’s sitting today Friday 5th February, 2021 by conducting hearings into seven petitions.In the first petition of the day of Adebayo Yinka Austin vs Federal special anti robbery squad (FSARS), the petitioner called a witness who corroborated the evidence in chief of the petitioner as recounted to him and based on his role as a neighbor who was Informed and accompanied the petitioner’s wife and sister in law to secure his bail from SARS area F office Ikeja custody after allegedly paying a sum of thirty thousand naira for bail. He further explained that when he saw the complainant and asked what happened that warranted the arrest of the petitioner on 28th September, 2017, the complainant complained that she had explained to the police that the person arrested was not the one who duped her, but they wouldn’t listen.The panel then adjourned further hearing on the matter to 26th February, 2021.In the second petition of the day involving Tella Adesanya vs the Nigeria police force, the police counsel informed the panel that based on his visit to the alledged Iba police station, two of the alledged officers of the police station had resigned, but he requested for a summons on SP Helen Otitoju which was not opposed,, consequently the panel granted the application for a summons against SP Helen Otitoju and adjourned the matter to 26th February, 2021.In the third petition of the day of Osidipe Olumide Sunday vs federal special anti robbery squad (FSARS), the petitioner was cross examined by his counsel and the police counsel, he narrated how he was detained and brutalized during his 14 days sojourn in the gulag of SARS after his arrest on the 20th of May, 2007.The petitioner also called a witness, the owner of his company who was invited for a discussion at SARS Ikeja office, but ended up being tied hands and legs with rope and hanged like a barbecue chicken with a iron. He said, it took the intervention of the Lagos state Commissioner of police for him to be released based on the complaint of the then Lagos state Commissioner for commerce and industry.He revealed that the Police took him to the hospital for treatment, but absconded after paying 150, 000 naira out of a total bill of 869, 700 naira of which he paid the outstanding.The panel then adjourned the matter to 2nd March, 2021.In the fourth petition of the day of Obochi Micheal Owoichow vs the Nigeria police force and the Nigeria Air force, the petitioner counsel informed the panel of his application to join the Nigeria Air force as a party in the petition and apologized for filing his petition just today 5th February, 2021.Consequently, the panel granted the application for the Nigeria Air force to be joined as a party and adjourned the matter to 2nd March, 2021.In the fifth petition of the day involving Mr. Emeka Sunday Jato and Mr. Azubuike Jato vs federal special anti robbery squad (FSARS), the petitioner counsel complained of being unable to commence with the petition following a missing page in the petition which he pleaded with the panel for time to enable him do the needful. Thereafter the panel adjourned the matter to 2nd March, 2021.In the sixth petition of the day of Canaan Chukwueze vs the Nigeria police force, the petitioner is absent for the fourth time and neither has he ever been represented by a counsel, consequently, counsels present unanimously urged the panel to strike out the petition for lack of due diligence and unseriousness of the petitioner. The panel accordingly struck out the petition.In the last petition of the day involving. Mr. Julius Adeogun and Mrs Adewunmi Adeogun vs the Nigeria police force. The petitioner Mrs. Adewunmi Abosede Adeogun in her evidence in chief, narrated how her husband was arrested by police men from Okokomaiko police station who came to her street on 31st of January, 2018 for raiding and arrested her husband and others whom they took to the station, unlike others who were allegedly released after allegedly paying the bail fee, her husband was not lucky as he was beaten and died.She said her late husband who was killed by police men attached to Okokomaiko police station was a lotto operator and is survived by aged parents, wife and four children.Mrs. Adewunmi Abosede Adeogun wept uncontrollably while giving her testimony that required her counsel appealing to her. At the end of her testimony, even the panel admitted that she was not in a right frame of mind to withstand cross examination, though the police counsel retorted that he wasn’t going to cross examine her, but other witnesses.At this stage, the panel adjourned the matter to 9th March 2021 for further hearing.