By Akinwale Kasali
For weeks now, the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry set up by the Lagos State Government to unravel the truth about the October 20, 2020, alleged shooting of the #EndSARS Protestants at the Lekki Toll Gate, by the Nigeria Army, and victims of Police brutality and extra judicial killings has been going on in Lagos, as well as in order states.
As part of the unveiling of the truth, Adesina Ogunlana, #EndSARS protesters’ lawyer, has asked the Lagos State Judicial Panel to summon Babatunde Fashola, the Minister of Works and Housing, to explain his role in his alleged discovery of a camera at the Lekki Toll Gate.
Ogunlana prayed the Retired Justice Doris Okuwobi-led panel should summon the two- term former Governor of Lagos State, Fashola, to explain the circumstances in which he found a camera at the tollgate, five days after the shooting incident.
According to Ogunlana, the visit to the tollgate on October 25 when Fashola found a camera “suggests an intrusion” into the evidence of the October 20 shootings.
Ogunlana said this while cross-examining the Managing Director of the Lekki Concession Company, operator of the Lekki tollgate, Abayomi Omomuwa.
Ogunlana had asked Omomuwa if he was aware that: “On October 25, the Governor of Lagos State brought some persons to visit the tollgate?” to which, Omomuwa said he only read it in the news.
Omomuwa, however, distanced himself from the Camera-finding-scene during the visit because he does not report to the Lagos State Government.
“Where is that camera that the Minister, popularly known as Agent Fash, removed?” And in response, Omomuwa said, “I don’t know”, Ogunlana probed further.
Counsel for LCC, Rotimi Seriki, objected to Ogunlana asking the MD that question, saying that the LCC cannot answer such a question as it was not in the place of LCC to keep an exhibit.
Replying to Seriki, the #EndSARS protesters’ lawyer said the issue was crucial to his case and asked if the panel had issued a summon on Fashola.
But the panel Chairma, Justice Okuwobi, told Ogunlana that he would have to follow the proper procedure if he wanted Fashola’s appearance before the panel.
Then, hinting that he would be requesting that Fashola be summoned, Ogunlana said, “I wouldn’t know if it is too early for me to apply for Minister Fashola to appear before the panel to assist investigation”.
Many people were aghast at the discovery of the Camera at the scene by Fashola, five days after the incident. While he was ridiculed to no end in the Social Media which dubbed him “Agent Fash”, others called him Mungo Park who is reputed to have discovered River Niger, even though the natives knew about it, and had been fishing there, drinking it, and using it for other domestic activities.
