#EndSARS protesters appear before panel, demand audience over Lekki shootings

THREE of the #EndSARS protesters on Friday appeared before the Lagos Panel of Judicial Inquiry probing the October 20 shootings by soldiers at the Lekki toll gate in Lagos.

Naija Times gathered the three protesters identified as Victoria Oniru, Dabira Ayuku and Perpetual Kamsiyuchukwu demanded to be granted an audience by the panel.

The request was presented to the panel by their lawyer, Adesina Ogunlana.
Adesina told the retired Justice Doris Okuwobi-led panel that he would like to cross-examine the Managing Director of the Lekki Concession Company, operator of the Lekki toll gate, Abayomi Omowuwa.

Though counsel for the Lagos State Government, Jelili Owonikoko (SAN), and LCC lawyer, Rotimi Seriki, earlier opposed Ogunlana’s appearance on the basis that “#EndSARS” is not an entity known to the law, they later withdrew their objection when Ogunlana called out his three clients.

“I am not representing spirits or ghosts. We’re here, to tell the truth. These are part of the people running underground, being threatened,” Ogunlana said in response to the objection by Owonikoko and Seriki.

To drive home his argument that the protesters should not be granted audience, Owonikoko described #EndSARS as an amorphous entity with no structure or leader, questioning where Ogunlana got his instruction to appear before the panel.

Seriki, on his part, had said since the LCC Managing Director was before the panel on the subpoena, “he cannot be cross-examined by every Tom, Dick, and Harry.”

Following the withdrawal of the objection to Ogunlana’s appearing, Justice Okuwobi, in a ruling, admitted the protesters as a party and allowed their lawyer’s appearance.

The panel is at the moment viewing the video footage of the night of October 20 when soldiers opened fire at the Lekki tollgate.