The Nigerian Army’s legal team representing it before the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry and Restitution for Victims of SARS and Related Abuses has said the panel lacks the power to sanction its clients over the shooting of #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki toll plaza on October 20, 2020.
Kehinde Akinlolu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), said this at the Army Headquarters in Abuja while presenting a report to Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, Chief of Army Staff, who was represented by Lt. Gen. Lamidi Adeosun, NA Chief of Policy and Plans.
“It must also be borne in mind that we were able to establish that the NA did not on its own volition set out to intervene in the crisis at the Lekki toll gate.
“The Lekki toll gate happens to be the area of passage to Epe corridors when the NA was called upon that ‘look, this matter is getting out of hand’ because we know very well that there are constitutional provisions for the civil authorities to call upon the NA to help when the civil police was overwhelmed as it was common knowledge, and that what exactly what happened in Lagos,” The Punch quoted him to have said.
“We were able to show the footage, both oral and documentary evidence, and the panel also must bear in mind that it is a fact-finding panel.
“The panel has no capacity to ascribe any punishment or any sentence on anybody. The whole idea of setting up the panel of that nature is to help unravel what went wrong so that in the future, necessary precautions will be taken.”
Adeosun said those who falsely accused the Army of sending soldiers to kill protesters must apologise when the judicial panel concludes its fact-finding.
