Lai Mohammed: There Was No Massacre At Lekki, Panel's Report Won't Change Our Mind

Lai Mohammed had remained silent weeks after the Lagos Panel of Inquiry on Restitution for victims of SARS-related abuses and other matters tendered their report to the Lagos state government.

The 9 man panel in its findings, affirmed that there was shooting and killing of unarmed protesters at the toll gate.

Reacting finally to the report, Mohammed said the Panel's report won't change the mind of the federal government that there was no massacre.

The information minister in a press conference in Abuja today, Tuesday, November 23, described the report as fake and a tale by moonlight.

Mohammed who noted that the panel failed to make recommendation for police officers and business owners who were affected during the protest, added that the panel's report can't be relied upon because it lacks authenticity.

"It is clear, from the ongoing, that the report of the panel in circulation cannot be relied upon because its authenticity is in doubt. Besides, the Lagos State Government, being the convening authority, has yet to release any official report to the public.

Gentlemen, there is absolutely nothing in the report that is circulating to make us change our stand that there was no massacre at Lekki on Oct. 20th 2020. For us to change our stand, a well-investigated report of the incident that meets all required standards and will withstand every scrutiny must be produced and presented to the public. The report in circulation does not meet those requirements. We also appeal to the families of those allegedly killed in Lekki to speak out. It's untenable to say that some families did not come out because they are afraid. Any parent who is afraid to testify about the death of his or her child is not worth to be called a parent.

We reject the notion that our soldiers and policemen massacred innocent Nigerians at Lekki on Oct. 20th 2020. That conclusion is not supported by the weight of available evidence. Indictment for murder is a very serious issue that cannot be done on the basis of allegations and corroborations, as the panel did. Such allegations must be proved beyond a reasonable doubt. The report in circulation is calculated to embarrass the Federal Government and its agencies without foolproof evidence. The Federal Government has never condoned the abuse of the rights of Nigerians by security agencies under any guise, hence it disbanded SARS and encouraged states to set up the panels to investigate reports of human rights abuses allegedly committed by the disbanded SARS personnel

The 37 policemen and six soldiers who died across the country during the Endsars protest are also Nigerians and should not be forgotten.

iv) - Those who have engaged in premature celebration of the report in circulation should now go back and read it thoroughly and tell Nigerians whether it can pass any serious scrutiny.

We are saddened that anyone died at all during the Endsars protest as the life of every Nigerian and indeed every human is sacrosanct. As we have disclosed many times, 57 civilians, 37 policemen and six soldiers were killed across the country during the protest, and we commiserate with their familiesÔÇØ Lai Mohammed said.