EndSARSMemorial: Full judicial panel report will be published and implemented! – Governor Sanwo-Olu

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu promised Nigerians yesterday that the White Paper on the final findings of the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Enquiry and Restitution will be made public and properly executed in due time.

Governor Sanwo-Olu made the remarks while speaking at the 10th National Council on Lands, Housing, and Urban Development, which was held in Ikeja and attended by Babatunde Fashola, Minister of Works and Housing and former governor of Lagos State.

Housing Development as a Catalyst for Job Creation, Social Inclusion, and Economic Development was the theme of the conference.

Sanwo-Olu, who took advantage of the chance to speak on the EndSARS saga and the first year memorial, remarked on the difficult work of rebuilding the state a year after it was rocked by a wave of arsonist assaults in response to EndSARS protests.

His words: “The panel concluded its sittings about three days ago and has asked for time to put the reports together behind closed doors. We do not know the content of the report, but we want to say publicly that, upon the handover of the report, we will be making it public. We will not cover up anything.

“This is not who we are and that is not what our Government stands for. We will make full disclosure of whatever recommendations that the panel will come up with. I assure citizens of Lagos that we will not leave anything to chance.”

Following the arrest of demonstrators at the Lekki Tollgate on Wednesday, the Governor declared that all those held by the police had been released unconditionally, with the exception of one person who was found with hazardous weapons at the site.

He said: “On Wednesday, we saw a protest in Lagos and those arrested in connection with the protest have all been released, except an individual that was caught with dangerous weapons and who confessed to the police that he joined the protest to cause mayhem.”

Speaking on the rebuilding effort, the Governor Sanwo-Olu said: “It is exactly a year ago today when Lagos was hit by violence in the aftermath of the EndSARS protests. Lagos witnessed massive destruction of infrastructure, iconic buildings, transport infrastructure, police stations and others.

“Today (yesterday) being a year after the event, there is no better time to say how difficult it has been for us as a state and how committed it has been for us.

“As tough as it is, the Government will certainly not shy away from its responsibility. We see the incident as a challenge and we will fix it with everything that we have.”