Lagos State Agents Are Threatening Eyewitnesses Of Lekki Shooting – Fmr. NBA Ikeja Chair, Ogunlana

ADESINA Ogunlana, a former Chairman of the Nigeria Bar
Association (NBA) Ikeja Branch has alleged that agents of the Lagos
State Government are threatening the lives of eyewitnesses of the
Lekki shooting.

Ogunlana said this on Friday during the resumed sitting of the
Lagos state judicial panel for an investigation into police
brutality and the October 20 Lekki shooting and alleged killing of
peaceful ENDSARS protesters.

“I had intended to hide the identities of these individuals I am
representing here today because of threats to their lives by agents
of the state. They are here within,” said Ogunlana.

Presenting three persons before the panel, Ogunlana introduced
them as Victoria Oniru, Dabira Ayuku and Perpetual Ikechukwu as
eyewitnesses of the occurrence.

However, Abiodun Owonikoko and Rotimi Seriki who are the legal
representatives to the Lagos State government and Lekki Concession
Company respectively argued the status of EndSARS protest as a
legal entity to be represented at the Panel by Ogunlana.

“EndSARS protest is a nebulous entity. There is no entity called
EndSARS protest. My learned colleague is entitled to represent
anybody according to the law but to claim to represent the protest
is not known before the law.

“It is understandable if he represents the protesters but to be
representing the protest itself needs to be cleared,” Owonikoko
said.

In response to Owonikoko’s claim, Ogunlana said the sitting is a
panel and not a regular court hence he can represent the
protest.

“We are all here because of the EndSARS protesters and victims
of police brutality. This is not a regular court. It is a
fact-finding panel.

Following the presentation of the eyewitnesses and the argument,
Doris Okuwobi, chairman of the panel, ruled that Ogunlana can
represent the EndSARS protesters.

The Lagos state judicial panel is currently playing the CCTV
footage of the Lekki Tollgate in order to confirm the actions of
the soldiers who were at the scene of protest on the evening of
Tuesday, October 20.

According to live streaming of the occurrence by a Nigerian disc
jockey DJ Switch, soldiers were seen shooting at peaceful ENDSARS
protesters.

ADESINA Ogunlana, a former Chairman of the Nigeria Bar
Association (NBA) Ikeja Branch has alleged that agents of the Lagos
State Government are threatening the lives of eyewitnesses of the
Lekki shooting.

Ogunlana said this on Friday during the resumed sitting of the
Lagos state judicial panel for an investigation into police
brutality and the October 20 Lekki shooting and alleged killing of
peaceful ENDSARS protesters.

“I had intended to hide the identities of these individuals I am
representing here today because of threats to their lives by agents
of the state. They are here within,” said Ogunlana.

Presenting three persons before the panel, Ogunlana introduced
them as Victoria Oniru, Dabira Ayuku and Perpetual Ikechukwu as
eyewitnesses of the occurrence.

However, Abiodun Owonikoko and Rotimi Seriki who are the legal
representatives to the Lagos State government and Lekki Concession
Company respectively argued the status of EndSARS protest as a
legal entity to be represented at the Panel by Ogunlana.

“EndSARS protest is a nebulous entity. There is no entity called
EndSARS protest. My learned colleague is entitled to represent
anybody according to the law but to claim to represent the protest
is not known before the law.

“It is understandable if he represents the protesters but to be
representing the protest itself needs to be cleared,” Owonikoko
said.

In response to Owonikoko’s claim, Ogunlana said the sitting is a
panel and not a regular court hence he can represent the
protest.

“We are all here because of the EndSARS protesters and victims
of police brutality. This is not a regular court. It is a
fact-finding panel.

Following the presentation of the eyewitnesses and the argument,
Doris Okuwobi, chairman of the panel, ruled that Ogunlana can
represent the EndSARS protesters.

The Lagos state judicial panel is currently playing the CCTV
footage of the Lekki Tollgate in order to confirm the actions of
the soldiers who were at the scene of protest on the evening of
Tuesday, October 20.

According to live streaming of the occurrence by a Nigerian disc
jockey DJ Switch, soldiers were seen shooting at peaceful ENDSARS
protesters.