By Akinwale Kasali
Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Ebun Olu-Adegoruwa, one of the members of the Justice Doris Okuwobi-led Panel Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Restitution for Victims of Special Anti Robbery Squad Related Abuses and Other Matters, has raised an alarm over the alleged plan to take his life.
The alleged attempt on the life of the Human Rights Activist is as a result of the report by the Panel that protesters were killed at the Lekki toll gate on October 20, 2020, as against the claims of the Federal Government and the Lagos State Government that no life was lost.
In a statement by Adegboruwa titled; Nigerians Should Hold Government Responsible If Anything Happens To Me,
he alleged that two prominent lawyers of the Government have openly incited opinions against him on national television, with mindless accusations.
He also said a prominent #EndSARS protester who testified before the Panel, Kamsiyochukwu Ibe, was attacked on Sunday night, as he called on his colleagues in the Nigerian Bar Association, Civil Rights Movement and the good people of Nigeria, to hold the Government responsible should anything happen to him.
It would be recalled that Counsel to Lagos State Government, Abiodun Owonikoko, last week on ARISE TV said that Adegoruwa had already taken a position before he was made a member of the panel.
He also alleged that there were over 40 discrepancies in the Panel report, and also, Adegoruwa was not always present at the Panel sitting.
Adegoruwa statement Monday, 22nd November, 2021, reads: “I have not committed any crime beyond joining other eminent Nigerians with unblemished integrity, to accept the nomination of government on behalf of my constituency, the Nigerian Bar Association and the civil society and the indeed the masses of our people, for a national assignment.
“Two prominent lawyers of the government have openly incited opinions against me on national television, with mindless accusations.
“I have, however, refused to be intimidated or bend to the tactics of government to be silenced.
“I urge the good people of Nigeria, my professional colleagues in the Nigerian Bar Association, my comrades in the civil rights movement and the people of Nigeria, to hold government responsible should anything happen to me.
“Just last night, one of the prominent EndSARS protesters who testified before the Panel, Miss Kamsiyochukwu Ibe, was attacked and dealt serous machete blows, in what was clearly an attempted murder, as reported by her counsel, with very disturbing photos.
“I heeded the clarion call to serve by the government with the honest believe that the Panel was meant to say the truth and nothing but the truth, which is what we have done. It is left for government and Nigerians to do the needful with the report of the Panel. God bless Nigeria”.
Counsel to #EndSARS protesters at the Lagos state Panel of Inquiry, Adesina Ogunlana, took to his Social Media handle to disclose that a prominent protester and one of his witnesses at the panel, Kamsi, has been attacked by suspected hoodlums who used a machete on her.
Adesina who shared horrifying photos of Kamsi with a deep cut on her hand wrote;
”LESS THAN 24 HOURS TO WORLD PRESS CONFERENCE ON THE CONFIRMED LEKKI TOLL GATE MASSACRE , KAMSI, A LEADING ENDSARS PROTESTER/ PETITIONER/ WITNESS/CAMPAIGNER MATCHETED VICIOUSLY IN LAGOS . HER ATTACKERS SHONE A TORCH LIGHT ON HER FACE BEFORE ATTEMPTED MURDER , SAYING IN YORUBA AND PIDGIN ENGLISH ” OH WE KNOW YOU , SHEBI THEY HAVE WARNED YOU PEOPLE TO STOP, BUT YOU WILL NOT STOP .WHEN YOU DIE NOW, CONTINUE.”
The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has set up a five-man Committee to produce a Whitepaper on the report of the Panel.
The United Nations, United States of America and the United Kingdom have urged for the implementation of the recommendations of the final findings by the Panel on the sad incident.
