‘Hold government responsible’ — Adegboruwa alleges threat to life over #EndSARS panel report

Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), has alleged that there is a threat to his life over the report of the Lagos state judicial panel on police brutality and the Lekki tollgate investigation.

Last Monday, the panel submitted two documents — a consolidated report on cases of police brutality and another on the Lekki shooting incident — to Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of the state.

But the 309-page document was leaked in the media hours later.

In the report, the panel said the “killing of unarmed protesters by soldiers on October 20, 2020 could be described in the context of a massacre”.

The report elicited mixed reactions — with some persons commending the panel while others pointed out errors in the document.

Since the report was leaked, Adegboruwa, a member of the judicial panel, has been in the eye of the storm. He had asked the Lagos state government to restrain its lawyers and agents from defaming him and other members of the panel.

Adegboruwa, in a statement on Monday titled — ‘Nigerians Should Hold Government Responsible If Anything Happens To Me’ — said there have been lots of threats and attacks by “those suspected to be agents of the government” against him.

The human rights lawyer said he did not commit any crime beyond accepting the nomination of the state government on behalf of the Nigerian Bar Association and the civil society organisations.

He called on Nigerians to hold the government responsible if anything happens to him.

“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,” he said.

“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 serous machete blows, in what was clearly an attempted murder, as reported by her counsel, with very disturbing photos.”