Malami: It’s premature to say live bullets were fired at protesters at Lekki tollgate

Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation, says “administrative and judicial processes” are necessary before any action can be taken on the report of the Lagos panel on police brutality.

Speaking on Wednesday in an interview on Channels Television, Malami said the report of the panel cannot be conclusive in establishing a position that live bullets were used at the Lekki tollgate.

Over the past few days, the report of the #EndSARS panel on the Lekki incident has elicited varied reactions as the panel said soldiers “killed unarmed protesters in a manner that could be described in the context of a massacre”.

But the Lagos government, in its white paper released on Tuesday, rejected the findings of the panel.

Speaking on the development, the attorney-general of the federation said the report is not “conclusive” of the true position of what transpired on October 20, 2020.

“You (referring to the presenter) are jumping into a conclusion that live ammunition was indeed used during the #EndSARS,” he said.

“Whether the report said so or it does not say so, as far as I’m concerned, I’m not in the position to ascertain because whatever it is, one, you said there was a report.

“And arriving from your submission, there was a white paper; arriving from the white paper, part of the report was rejected and part of it was admitted

“Within the context of the white paper too, you have criminal investigations that must naturally follow through the process of prosecution when the need arises.

“With or without the report, what I’m trying to say in essence, the report, in its own right, cannot be conclusive in establishing a position.

“There are still additional layers of administrative and judicial processes that would follow before you can jump into a particular conclusion establishing a point criminal or otherwise.

“I think as far as the report, in its own right, it is not conclusive of a provision of what truly transpired against the background of your submission that part of the report was indeed rejected by Lagos state government.

“And certainly, there are other investigative components that may at the end of the day translate to criminal prosecution and as such, it is indeed very premature for you to jump into conclusion that live ammunition was used.

“I’m not in the position to accept that from you and I can’t share in your conclusion as to whether indeed live ammunition was used. It is premature for me as a chief law officer to share in your conclusion in that direction.”