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EndSARS: Adegboruwa Replies Keyamo, Says Panel Legal
A member of the Lagos panel constituted to probe the Lekki shootings of October 20, 2020, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN), has said that the EndSARS panels set up by state governments across the country are legal and can probe the brutality and extrajudicial killings committed by members of the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigerian Army.
The senior advocate said the judicial panels were set up at the behest of the Federal Government, through the National Economic Council, and so, cannot be termed illegal because the findings of some of the panels aren’t in favour of the regime of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).
The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo (SAN), on Sunday, had dismissed the EndSARS panel set up by the Lagos State Government and the report it presented to the state government recently.
Keyamo had said the panel was illegal because it was out of the jurisdiction of the panel to investigate the activities of Federal Government institutions and officials such as the Police and the Army.\
But in a statement on Monday titled, ‘The Legality Of #EndSARS Panels’, Adegboruwa said, “The Federal Government has recently muted the idea that all the Judicial Panels of Inquiry set up by the various States across the Federation, especially that of Lagos State, are illegal.
“It has never been part of our legal system in Nigeria, for a plaintiff who approached the court in the first instance, to turn around to challenge the legality or jurisdiction of the court.
“The EndSARS Panels were set up at the behest of the Federal Government, through the National Economic Council. In the case of the Lagos Panel, the federal government, through the Nigerian Army, voluntarily submitted itself to the jurisdiction of the Panel, the federal government called witnesses, it tendered documents and it made very lengthy presentations.
“A party cannot approbate and reprobate at the same time. Thus, a party who initiated a process and willingly and actively participated in that process, cannot turn around, after judgment, to plead illegality or absence of jurisdiction, simply because the outcome is unfavourable. We must strengthen our institutions to make them work.
“While we all await the White Paper from the Lagos State Government, it is important for government to build trust in the people in all its dealings and utterances.”
The PUNCH had earlier reported that the Justice Doris Okuwobi-led panel on November 15, 2021, submitted its report to the Lagos State Government, noting that at least nine persons were confirmed dead at the Lekki toll plaza when soldiers stormed the tollgate to disperse EndSARS protesters on October 20, 2020.
The 309-page leaked report stated, “The atrocious maiming and killing of unarmed, helpless and unresisting protesters while sitting on the floor and waving their Nigerian flags and while singing the National Anthem can be equated to a massacre in context.”
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who received the report, said he had constituted a Committee to bring forward a White Paper within the next two weeks to be considered by the Lagos State Executive Council.
United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, on a two-day official visit to Nigeria recently, had said that the submission of the report by the Lagos panel was an important step towards accountability for killings and rights abuses allegedly committed by soldiers and policemen.
Blinken had met with the Nigerian President at Aso Rock in Abuja, and Buhari had said the Federal Government was waiting on Lagos State and other state governments to come up with their conclusions.
But Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed subsequently said, “It is simply incredible that a judicial panel set up to investigate an incident has submitted a report laden with allegations, the same allegations it was set up to investigate in the first instance.
“Instead of sitting for all of one year, the panel could have just compiled social media tales by the moonlight on the incident and submitted, saving taxpayers’ funds and everyone’s time. That report is nothing but the triumph of fake news and the intimidation of a silent majority by a vociferous lynch mob.”
The Punch
Candidate of Labour Party in the last Presidential election, Mr. Peter Obi, has confirmed that he is on his way out of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
In a personally signed statement released on Sunday, Obi said he arrived at the decision after deep reflection, describing the move as necessary despite “every constraint.”
“I woke up this morning after my church service with a deeply reflective heart… and felt compelled to share these thoughts,” he wrote, adding that many people do not understand the “silent pains” and private struggles faced by those trying to serve in Nigeria’s political space.
Obi painted a grim picture of the current political climate, describing it as increasingly hostile and discouraging.
“We now live in an environment that has become increasingly toxic, where the very system that should protect and create opportunities… often works against the people,” he said, pointing to intimidation, insecurity, and persistent scrutiny as defining features of the system.
The former Anambra State governor also expressed disappointment over what he described as a lack of solidarity, even among close associates.
“Some who publicly identify with you privately distance themselves or join in unfair criticism,” he noted, lamenting that humility is often misinterpreted as weakness, while compassion is seen as foolishness.
Obi, however, clarified that his decision was not driven by personal grievances against key leaders within the party. He specifically exonerated ADC National Chairman, David Mark, and former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, saying neither treated him unfairly.
“Let me state clearly: my decision to leave the ADC is not because our highly respected Chairman… treated me badly, nor because… Atiku Abubakar, or any other respected leaders did anything personally wrong to me,” he said.
Instead, Obi attributed his exit to what he described as a recurrence of the same challenges that plagued his time in the Labour Party, including internal divisions, legal battles, and external interference.
“The same Nigerian state and its agents that created unnecessary crises… now appear to be finding their way into the ADC, with endless court cases, internal battles, suspicion, and division,” he stated.
He further lamented that sincere contributions are often undervalued, with individuals becoming scapegoats for broader systemic failures.
“Even within spaces where one labours sincerely, one is sometimes treated like an outsider… as though honest contribution has become a favour being tolerated rather than appreciated,” Obi added.
Despite stepping away, the former governor said he continues to face criticism and attacks on his character, even as he seeks to pursue national development with sincerity.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s broader challenges, Obi questioned societal values that, according to him, often misinterpret integrity and prudent management of resources.
“Why is doing the right thing often misconstrued as wrongdoing in our country? Why is integrity not valued?” he asked.
Obi reiterated that his ambition is not driven by a quest for political office but by a desire to see a better Nigeria.
“I am not desperate to be President… I am desperate to see a society that can console a mother whose child has been kidnapped or killed,” he said, highlighting issues of insecurity, poverty, and displacement.
He concluded on a hopeful note, affirming his belief in Nigeria’s potential for transformation.
“Yet, despite everything, I remain resolute. I firmly believe that Nigeria can still become a country with competent leadership based on justice, compassion, and equal opportunity for all,” he said.
“A new Nigeria is possible.”
Source: Daily Trust
Headlines
US Threatens to Withhold 50% of Aid to Nigeria over Lapses in Security, Civilian Protection and Accountability
The United States is considering to withhold 50 per cent of its aid to Nigeria under a new legislative proposal that ties continued support to measurable progress on security, civilian protection, and accountability.
The U.S. House Appropriations Committee approved the measure as part of the Fiscal Year 2027 National Security, Department of State, and Related Programmes appropriations bill, reflecting growing concern in Washington over persistent violence in Africa’s most populous nation.
The broader bill allocates about $47.32 billion for foreign aid and diplomacy, a reduction of roughly six per cent from the previous year.
If enacted, the proposal would require the Secretary of State to certify that Nigeria is taking “effective steps” to address insecurity, protect civilians, and prosecute perpetrators before half of the allocated aid can be released.
Lawmakers linked the conditions to continued attacks by militant groups and violence affecting vulnerable communities.
The legislation also directs Nigerian authorities to prioritise support for victims, particularly internally displaced persons, and to facilitate the safe return and reconstruction of affected communities.
It calls for investigations and prosecutions tied to armed groups.
In addition, Nigeria would be required to match U.S. funding for supported programmes, effectively introducing a dollar-for-dollar framework that could increase pressure on government finances.
A committee statement said the bill aims to “hold foreign governments accountable for persecuting people of faith”, adding that assistance to Nigeria would remain restricted until “measurable actions are taken” to protect vulnerable populations.
The proposal also places Nigeria under heightened congressional scrutiny, requiring the U.S. administration to notify Congress at least 15 days before any funds are disbursed.
The bill, however, is yet to become law and must still pass both chambers of Congress and be signed by the U.S. president.
Nigeria has previously rejected claims that violence in the country is driven by religious persecution, arguing instead that insecurity reflects a complex mix of terrorism, banditry, and communal conflicts.
Nonetheless, the proposed measure signals a shift toward stricter U.S. oversight of foreign assistance and could reshape bilateral relations if approved.
Headlines
Peter Obi Weeps for Nigerian Workers, Says Minimum Wage Can no Longer Guarantee Modest Living
A frontline presidential aspirant on the platform of the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC), Peter Obi, has regretted that the minimum wage can no longer guarantee a most modest standard of living in Nigeria.
In a post on his X handle on Friday to mark Workers’ Day, the former Governor of Anambra State said this has happened as inflation, rising food prices, transportation costs, and economic hardship continue to erode the value of honest work.
He said no nation can truly develop beyond the strength, productivity, and wellbeing of its workforce, stressing that the progress of any society rests on the quality of its human capital, the skill of its people, and the commitment of its workers.
‘When workers suffer, the nation suffers. When workers are empowered, the nation prospers,” he noted.
The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general elections said a productive nation must be built on justice, fairness, and respect for labour, adding that “it is the Nigeria we must work together to achieve.”
Obi said through democratic participation, the Nigerian workers have the power to shape governance and determine the future direction of the nation.
He, therefore, urged Nigerian workers to recognise the strength they hold collectively.
“But beyond their labour, workers also possess another powerful tool, their voice and their vote.
“They owe it to themselves, their children, and future generations to support and demand leadership built on competence, character, capacity, credibility, and compassion. By refusing to reward failure, corruption, ethnic division, and bad governance, they can help build a nation where hard work is respected and rewarded with dignity.
“With the support and participation of Nigerian workers, a new Nigeria is possible,” said Obi.
He saluted workers across the world, especially Nigerian workers whose daily sacrifices continue to sustain our families, communities, institutions, and national economy in the face of severe hardship and uncertainty.
