The Federal High Court, Lagos, has been asked to disband the Judicial Panel of Inquiry and restitution for victims of SARS and related abuses In Lagos State and the Lekki Tollgate incident set up by the state government.
The plaintiffs in the case, Adekunle Augustine and Semion Akogwu are asking the court to disband the panel on the ground that the Lagos State Governor, being a party in the matter, did not exercise his power in public interest by setting up the panel.
The plaintiff averred that the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, admitted that he authorized the deployment of troops to Lekki Tollgate on October 20, 2020, to stop the peaceful protest which by extension occasioned the use of artillery weapons by the soldiers at the scene, leading to some life-threatening injuries and alleged death of many of the protesters.
And that there will be no fair hearing by the panel since Governor Sanwo-Olu is a principal figure to be investigated.
They, therefore, pray the court to make a declaration that the Lagos State Governor, being a party, cannot set up a panel to investigate itself as the outcome of the panel will be in favour of the state and it will amount to being the judge in its own case.
They also want the court to nullify the panel’s proceedings and the Federal Government to take over the mandate of the panel.
Apart from the Judicial Panel of Inquiry, other defendants in the suit are, the Governor of Lagos State, the Chairman of the panel, and the Attorney-General of the state who are 1st, 3rd, and 4th defendants respectively.
