By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
As Nigerians await the release of the #ENDSARS White Paper promised by Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Lead Counsel to the Protesters, Barrister Adesina Ogunlana has confirmed that the leaked report of the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Restitution for Victims of SARS Related Abuses and Other Matters, otherwise called the ‘ENDSARS Panel’ is actually the authentic submission made by witnesses to the panel.
Also, Ogunlana has warned the Lagos state government of the temptation to tamper with the panel’s report or risk losing the public trust forever.
Speaking on African Independent Television (AIT) breakfast programme ‘Kakaaki’ on Tuesday, Ogunlana who was the Lead Counsel to the Lagos #ENDSARS Protesters said that the leaked panel report is the same with the over 300- page report the panel submitted to the Lagos state Governor by the panel.
According to him, “the Panel Report circulating in the social media is the same the panel submitted to the Governor of Lagos state. I can confirm that all the facts presented to the panel are what formed the report submitted to the Lagos state governments”.
The Lead Lawyer for the Protesters therefore warned the state Governor not to secumb to cheap blackmail to either doctor the report or refuse to make public the White Paper, adding that it will run the risk of losing the respect of Lagosians.
“My advice to the Lagos state government and the Governor is to stay on the side of the youths and the people of Lagos state by releasing the entire report as submitted by the #ENDSARS Panel. Should the government fail to do that, the youth will accept that because nobody can tame the youths”, Ogunlana opined.
Meanwhile, Ogunlana has lashed out at those attacking some members of the Lagos #ENDSARS Judicial Panel who are supporting the official release of the #ENDSARS Panel Report as submitted by the panel.
According to him: “anyone attacking those of us in support of the release of the entire panel’s report is not on the side of the people. I am aware that some lawyers who represented Lagos state government in the panel are not in support of the release of the report. It is most unfortunate because they argued their cases during the seating and the Jury has reached a decision so why are they crying wolf where there is none”.
Opinions have been divided in the media over the damming report which includes the admission that harmless protesters were actually killed at the Lekki Toll Gate, although both state and federal governments are still claiming that nobody was shot let alone dying at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos.
