…Says A Testifier Has Been Macheted
Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, has raised alarmed over an alleged attempt by some forces to take his life for his role in the recently submitted report of the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Restitution for Victims of SARS Related Abuses and other matters.
Adegboruwa, who was a member of the panel said since the submission of the 309-page report to the Lagos state government, some suspected agents of government have been threatening his and have issued baseless accusations to taint hisreputation.
Recall that since the submission of the report, the details therein have continued to emerged. The New Diplomat had reported that the report confirmed that a team of the Nigerian Army was deployed to Lekki toll plaza on the October 20, 2020, stating that they fired live bullets against unarmed protesters, in contrary to the consistent denial by the government.
In the report, the panel revealed that after the conclusion of investigation on the event that occurred on October 20, at least nine persons lost their lives to army’s live bullets during the protest.
But Adegboruwa, who represented the civil society organisation on the panel, raised alarmed that members of the panel have since been subjected to threats and bullying by some government personnels.
The legal luminary also revealed that a major testifier during the sitting of the panel, Miss Kamsiyochukwu Ibe, was macheted by some hoodlums on Sunday.
He wondered why the members of the panel are being subjected to such terror for simply obeying the clarion call.
The senior lawyer stated this in a statement issued on Monday and titled ‘Nigerians Should Hold Government Responsible If Anything Happens To Me’.
The statement reads, “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.”
