Mass burial for 103 #endSARS victims: Lagos govt covering up lies of Lekki massacre —Lawyer

A lawyer, Dele Farotimi has reacted to a leaked memo that the Lagos State government has approved the mass burial of 103 corpses recovered in the aftermath of the #endSARS protest that rocked the state in October 2020.

The lawyer stated that the move by the state government was a further attempt to cover alleged lies the state government had spread soon after the shooting incidence at the Lekki toll gate where it said no one was killed.

The legal practitioner spoke on Monday during an interview on Arise Television.

Farotimi stated that there are more than enough evidence in the public space that should expose the lies bandied by the state government around the incidence.

He also blamed the media which he said was also responsible for spreading of the lies, adding that it was clear people were killed during the Lekki massacre, as he challenged the media to expose the lies.

He further noted that the report of the panel set up by the government itself had confirmed that there were casualties from the Lekki shooting, but the government’s white paper had denied the massacre by claiming no one died.

READ ALSO:Lagos govt plans mass burial for 103 victims of #ENDSARS protest

“I saw victims with bullet wounds. I dealt with victims. I personally paid the fees of a bullet would victim, and paid the expenses of another victim who was transported to Kaduna”, he stated.

“The state is the one actively involved to cover lies”, he said.

On the budget of N61 million to be spent on the mass burial, Farotimi lamented that there was corruption in the process, as it showed that the state government had slated an average of N500,000 to bury each of the bodies.

On claims by the state government that no one had come forward to claim any of the bodies, Farotimi stated that such may not happen as those allegedly killed at the Lekki tollgate were mostly artisans who lived in shanties around the area, and who kept vigil at the tollgate at night.

He also stated that many people including cleaners, and hospital workers were aware that some people were killed on that night, and he urged them to come forward with the truth.

“You normalize the lies when you keep quiet”, he stated.

“The state suppressed the evidence. Many people said their friends died”, he added.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now