The Lagos State Judicial Panel of Enquiry and Restitution for
Victims of SARS related abuses and other matters has granted
counsel to three #EndSARS protesters access to a surveillance
video, which captured the October 20 shootings at the Lekki toll
gate in Lagos.
![image](/2020/10/lawreport.jpg")
Panel chair Judge emeritus Doris Okuwobi directed the Lekki
Concession Company (LCC) to make the 20-hour footage available to
the protesters’ lawyer, Adesina Ogunlana.
![image](/2020/10/NWLRland.jpg")
Ogunlana, Justice Okuwobi said, would have 48 hours to review
the footage and inform the court which portions of the video should
be shown during the panel sitting.
The judge did not uphold a suggestion by Nigerian Bar
Association (NBA) representative Bernard Oniga, for the video to be
made more widely available, including to the press.
Soldiers have been accused of shooting at #EndSARS protesters,
injuring and killing some, an allegation the military has
denied.
The shootings were believed to have occurred from just over 6pm
on October 20.
About four hours of the video were played on Friday from about
between 11:35am and nearly past 5pm, with a pause in between during
break time.
The video, broken into footages of roughly 30 minutes in length,
took up all of the day’s sitting with no time left to hear other
petitions.
The footages displayed on a large screen in the room, showed
vehicular movement as well as protesters’ around the toll gate, but
captured from a long distance away.
The video was tendered by LCC Managing Director, Abayomi
Omomuwa, through LCC’s counsel, Rotimi Seriki, on Tuesday.
Omomuwa, whose firm operates the toll gate, said the footage was
retrieved from a surveillance camera mounted by the firm on a mast
at the toll gate.
Before the video was played, Ogunlana, who previously
participated in previous panel sittings as an observer, caused a
stir when he announced his appearance as a counsel for #EndSARS
protesters.
The former NBA Ikeja Branch chairman told the panel that he
would like to cross-examine Omowuwa.
Seriki and Lagos State Government counsel, Abiodun Owonikoko
(SAN) opposed Ogunlana’s appearance on the ground that “#EndSARS”
is not a legal person.
Owonikoko described #EndSARS as a nebulous entity with no
structure or leader and sought to know where Ogunlana got his
instruction to appear before the panel.
Seriki, on his part said since the LCC MD was before the panel
on a subpoena, “he cannot be cross-examined by every Tom, Dick, and
Harry.”
But they both withdrew their objection when Ogunlana called out
his three female clients.
The trio – Victoria Oniru, Dabira Ayuku, and Perpetual
Kamsiyuchukwu – announced their appearance through Ogunlana.
“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.
Ruling on the matter, Justice Okuwobi admitted the protesters as
a party and allowed their lawyer’s appearance.
Seriki and Owonikoko’s noted that the footage was date and time
stamped.
They suggested that the video should be fast-forwarded to about
5pm, which is when it starts capturing footage relevant to the
shootings.
But Ogunlana opposed them and insisted on the entire 20-hour
video to be played, following which it was played for about four
hours.
Towards the end of the proceedings, Ogunlana sought the
protection of the court for #EndSARS protesters and himself. He
said they were operating under a cloud of fear.
But Owonikoko contested the claim, saying there was no threat to
the witnesses.
The panel adjourned till November 10 for the Lekki Shootings
matter while sitting resumes on Saturday for other petitions.
The Lagos State Judicial Panel of Enquiry and Restitution for
Victims of SARS related abuses and other matters has granted
counsel to three #EndSARS protesters access to a surveillance
video, which captured the October 20 shootings at the Lekki toll
gate in Lagos.
Panel chair Judge emeritus Doris Okuwobi directed the Lekki
Concession Company (LCC) to make the 20-hour footage available to
the protesters’ lawyer, Adesina Ogunlana.
Ogunlana, Justice Okuwobi said, would have 48 hours to review
the footage and inform the court which portions of the video should
be shown during the panel sitting.
The judge did not uphold a suggestion by Nigerian Bar
Association (NBA) representative Bernard Oniga, for the video to be
made more widely available, including to the press.
Soldiers have been accused of shooting at #EndSARS protesters,
injuring and killing some, an allegation the military has
denied.
The shootings were believed to have occurred from just over 6pm
on October 20.
About four hours of the video were played on Friday from about
between 11:35am and nearly past 5pm, with a pause in between during
break time.
The video, broken into footages of roughly 30 minutes in length,
took up all of the day’s sitting with no time left to hear other
petitions.
The footages displayed on a large screen in the room, showed
vehicular movement as well as protesters’ around the toll gate, but
captured from a long distance away.
The video was tendered by LCC Managing Director, Abayomi
Omomuwa, through LCC’s counsel, Rotimi Seriki, on Tuesday.
Omomuwa, whose firm operates the toll gate, said the footage was
retrieved from a surveillance camera mounted by the firm on a mast
at the toll gate.
Before the video was played, Ogunlana, who previously
participated in previous panel sittings as an observer, caused a
stir when he announced his appearance as a counsel for #EndSARS
protesters.
The former NBA Ikeja Branch chairman told the panel that he
would like to cross-examine Omowuwa.
Seriki and Lagos State Government counsel, Abiodun Owonikoko
(SAN) opposed Ogunlana’s appearance on the ground that “#EndSARS”
is not a legal person.
Owonikoko described #EndSARS as a nebulous entity with no
structure or leader and sought to know where Ogunlana got his
instruction to appear before the panel.
Seriki, on his part said since the LCC MD was before the panel
on a subpoena, “he cannot be cross-examined by every Tom, Dick, and
Harry.”
But they both withdrew their objection when Ogunlana called out
his three female clients.
The trio – Victoria Oniru, Dabira Ayuku, and Perpetual
Kamsiyuchukwu – announced their appearance through Ogunlana.
“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.
Ruling on the matter, Justice Okuwobi admitted the protesters as
a party and allowed their lawyer’s appearance.
Seriki and Owonikoko’s noted that the footage was date and time
stamped.
They suggested that the video should be fast-forwarded to about
5pm, which is when it starts capturing footage relevant to the
shootings.
But Ogunlana opposed them and insisted on the entire 20-hour
video to be played, following which it was played for about four
hours.
Towards the end of the proceedings, Ogunlana sought the
protection of the court for #EndSARS protesters and himself. He
said they were operating under a cloud of fear.
But Owonikoko contested the claim, saying there was no threat to
the witnesses.
The panel adjourned till November 10 for the Lekki Shootings
matter while sitting resumes on Saturday for other petitions.