Senate wants 1% VAT revenues committed to rebuilding Lagos, others damaged during #EndSARS protests

The Nigerian Senate has called on the Federal Government to provide assistance in the rebuilding of public and private institutions destroyed in Lagos and other states of the federation following the aftermath of #EndSARS protest.

The lawmakers made the call on Tuesday following two motions sponsored by Senator Biodun Olujimi and Senator Gershom Bassey.

They urged the government to set up a Special Economic Assistance to Lagos and other states with one percent of all revenues collected as Value Added Tax (VAT) to help rebuild properties vandalized and destroyed in the states by hoodlums.

In her motion entitled, “#EndSARS protests: Urgent need for the Federal Government to assist Lagos State Government in rebuilding its infrastructure,” Olujimi made the following request:

“Urge the Federal Government to set up a visitation panel to assess the level of destruction of public and private assets in Lagos State.

“Urge the Federal Government to establish a Special Economic Assistance to Lagos State in recognition of its strategic socio-economic significance by paying a financial grant-in-aid of not less than 1% of the share of revenue allocated to the FG in the Federation Account each year.”

Bassey’s prayer entitled, “Mayhem visited on the ancient city of Calabar the first capital of Nigeria on 23rd and 24th October 2020,” asked that the federal government should “mandate the Committee on National Security and Intelligence, Defence, Police Affairs, Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters to investigate the invasion of the ancient city of Calabar on the 24th day of October, 2020.”

The Senate after considering the motions resolved that the call for rebuilding assistance should be extended to all states across the country affected by the aftermath of the protests.

Earlier in her lead debate, Olujimi asked the Senate to note that the #EndSARS protest started on October 3, 2020, following a video of a SARS officer who allegedly shot a young Nigerian in Ughelli, Delta State.

Further noting how on Wednesday October 7, 2020, youths in Lagos State set out for a three-day protest to call for the disbandment of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) unit of the Nigeria Police Force she said:

“Aware that 7 October 2020 was the start of a 14-day protest in Lagos that eventually turned violent and hijacked by hoodlums.

“Further aware that at about 6:45 pm on Tuesday 20 October 2020, several media accounts revealed that peaceful protesters were allegedly shot at by the Nigerian military at the Lekki toll gate.

“Concerned that the alleged shooting of protesters further infuriated protesters and tension flared with consequent violent protests and the beginning of wanton looting and destroying of public and private assets all over the country and particularly Lagos, the epicenter of the protests.

“Worried that private and public assets destroyed by hoodlums in Lagos were estimated to be in the region of over N1 trillion by the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

“Further worried that the long list of destroyed public and private properties in Lagos are: Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government Secretariat, Palace of the Oba of Lagos; Lagos High Court, Igbosere; Oyingbo-BRT terminus; Ojodu Berger BRT terminus; Vehicle Inspection Office, Ojodu Berger; Lagos State Public Works Corporation, Ojodu Berger; Lagos City Hall and Circle Mall, Lekki; numerous luxury shops in Surulere, The Nation Newspaper, TVC and Shoprite Lekki including 27 BRT vehicles estimated to cost $200,000 each and another 57 BRT vehicles estimated to cost $100,000 each, all totalling about N3.9 billion.

READ ALSO: CNN dares Nigerian govt, releases second damning report on #EndSars protests

“Alarmed that 25 police stations were reportedly burnt in Lagos: Orile, Amukoko, Layeni, llasamaja, Ikotun, Ajah, Igando, Elemoro, Makinde, Onipanu, Ebute Ero, Pen-Cinema, Isokoko, Alade, Cele, Igbo Elerin, Shibiri, Gbagada, Onilekere, Makoko, Daleko, Asahun, Makinyo, Amuwo-Odofin, Anti-Kidnapping, Surulere. Other police stations that were vandalised but not burnt were Ojo, Ojodu, Mowo, PPL and Morogbo.”

Senator Bassey’s motion also read in part, “Further notes that as a result of the invasion of the COVID-19 Palliative Warehouse, the Cross River State Government imposed a 24-hour curfew in Calabar that started from 6pm on the same 23rd October to avert further breakdown of law and order.

“Worried that despite the 24-hour curfew, a group of vandals on the next day being 24th October invaded over 120 properties in Calabar and vandalized, looted, burnt down some high value properties belonging to individuals, the State Government and Federal Government.

“Further worried that the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) Office, West African Examination Council (WAEC) Office, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) Office, the brand new state of the art Calabar International Convention Centre (ICC), the sprawling Tinapa Business Resort, the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, the Infectious Diseases Hospital amongst others and private residence mostly of past and present Federal Law Makers were vandalized, looted or burnt.

“Convinced that the mayhem of 24th October was an invasion of the sovereignty of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, it was premeditated, selective and targeted at highly valued Federal and State Government infrastructure and Federal Law Makers.

“Aware that the intervention of the military bases and security installations like the 13 Amphibious Brigade in Calabar, Eastern Naval Command in Calabar, NNS Victory in Calabar, 207 Special Mobility Airforce Unit in Calabar and Zone 6 Police Command in Calabar prevented the mayhem from spreading.

“Further aware that Cross River State being a predominantly Civil Service State may not overcome the effects of the invasion since the destroyed state infrastructure was built from lean state resources over years.”

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