Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has been advised to shelve the planned Peace Walk in support of the White Paper of the Lagos State Government on #EndSARS.
In a letter to the His Excellency, Governor Sanwo-Olu, a Member of the Body of Benchers, Chief Kunle Uthman, said the planned Peace Walk would be too risky at this point in time, in the face of the raging Covid pandemic and its new variant.
In the letter he asked: ‘What is the purpose, intention and reason for a Government (anywhere) to gather in one place tens of thousands of people at this time of Covid-19 pandemic?
‘As an addendum, how does His Excellency intend to manage these large number of divergent groups and persons?
‘His Excellency should recognise as a fact that, there is a new variant of Covid-19 in the world, no decipherable cure and travel bans are being imposed globally. The British Government have imposed travel restrictions on Nigerians, travelling to the United Kingdom.
‘What is the macro benefit, if any, to be derived from a Walk that will lead to communal spread of Covid-19, in a State where most of the residents have not been vaccinated?
As it were, His Excellency should cancel the Peace Walk, because it cannot be justified and there are no reasons whatsoever, for this Peace Walk slated for this month of festivities, or at any other time, because it would serve no useful benefits to anybody, and will further exacerbate the situation and make us a “laughing stock” in the comity of nations. This Walk, as contemplated is suicidal, and any dire consequences resultant thereat, the Lagos State Government will be held accountable and indeed, responsible.
‘A Stitch In Time Saves Nine.’
On the report of the Judicial Panel on #EndSARS, Chief Uthman opined that a White Paper to review the report, is absolutely unnecessary.
He said: ‘The Panel’s key findings included inter alia, the following: That the Nigerian Army was invited for intervention, officers of the Army shot, injured and killed unarmed, helpless and defenceless Protesters, without provocation or justification, while they were waving the Nigerian flag and singing the National Anthem, and the manner of killing could be described as a Massacre.
‘The Panel also found that the conduct of the Nigerian Army was exacerbated, by its refusal to allow ambulances render medical assistance to victims who required such assistance.
‘The Panel found that, LCC hampered the Panel’s investigation. It manipulated the incomplete CCTV video footage of the Lekki Tollgate (LTG) on the night of the 20th of October, 2020.’
He advised that the Government should offer a public apology to #EndSARS Protesters who were killed, injured and traumatised by the incident of October 20, and discountenance the recommendations of the White Paper Committee.
