A member of of the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Restitution for Victims of SARS Related Abuses and other matters, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN), has said that hoodlums attacked and macheted an EndSARS protester, Kamsiyochukwu Ibe, who testified before the panel on the alleged role of the military and the police in the Lekki shooting of October 20, 2021.
Adegboruwa, who represented the civil society organisation on the panel, also raised alarm over the alleged threat to his life since the submission of the report of the Lagos EndSARS panel.
WITHIN NIGERIA recalls that Justice Doris Okuwobi-led panel of the Lagos Judicial panel in its report said at least nine persons were confirmed dead on the night soldiers stormed the Lekki toll plaza to disperse #EndSARS protesters during the October 20, 2020.
The Senior Advocate called on Nigerians to hold the government responsible if anything unfortunate happens to himself and other panel members and testifiers.
Adegboruwa said members of the panel are being unfairly persecuted by some state government officials.
He wrote, “Since the submission of the report of the Lagos #EndSARS Panel, there have been lots of threats and attacks, by those suspected to be agents of the government, upon me, especially in the media.
“I have not committed any crime beyond joining other eminent Nigerians with unblemished integrity, to accept the nomination of government on behalf of my constituency, the Nigerian Bar Association and the civil society and the indeed the masses of our people, for a national assignment.
“Two prominent lawyers of the government have openly incited opinions against me on national television, with mindless accusations.
I have however refused to be intimidated or bend to the tactics of government to be silenced.
“I urge the good people of Nigeria, my professional colleagues in the Nigerian Bar Association, my comrades in the civil rights movement and the people of Nigeria, to hold government responsible should anything happen to me.
“Just last night, one of the prominent EndSARS protesters who testified before the Panel, Miss Kamsiyochukwu Ibe, was attacked and dealt serious machete blows, in what was clearly an attempted murder, as reported by her counsel, with very disturbing photos.
“I heeded the clarion call to serve by the government with the honest believe that the Panel was meant to say the truth and nothing but the truth, which is what we have done. It is left for government and Nigerians to do the needful with the report of the Panel.”