An all women human rights group, Women for Change Initiatives (WCI), has declared its support for Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s call for restraint on the recently submitted report of the Judicial Panel of Enquiry he set up to look into the issue of the youth protest code-named #EndSARS.
The panel, which was mandated to look into the causes of the bloody occurrence and recommend ways to curb future occurrence submitted its report on Monday, 15 November, 2021.
The group’s National Chairperson, Barrister, Eyitope Success-Adekunle Esq, in a statement made available to the press Thursday, 18 November, 2021 said, “in view of the avalanche of comments and remarks that welcome the submission of the report across the world, even before a white paper on it, it is then in our candid opinion to support and cooperate with the State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu in his call for restraint.”
According to her, if not stopped, the comments, remarks and divergent views on the report that has never been made public could derail good intention and jeopardize the opportunity of victims to get correct treatment after the release of the White Paper for the report.” Admitting that, “hence our support for the governor’s stand on restraints.”
Governor Sanwo-Olu, through the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso issued a statement calling for restraints, having noted the various reactions that have followed the submission of the report of the Judicial Panel of Enquiry on restitution for victims of SARS Related Abuses and other Matters.
The statement reads further that: “There have been arguments in the public space over the report. (So), there is need for us to restrain ourselves from nullifying the good intentions of the Government in setting up this Panel, which was well encouraged to do its job, a fact that was acknowledged by the Panel.”
The woman activist said, since the government has set up a committee in accordance with a relevant law, to bring up a White Paper on the report to determine the next line of action, patience and restraints should be observed “pending the period the government would make its views on all the issues raised by the Panel through the release of a White Paper,” as the Commissioner urged.
The group, therefore enjoined the people to allow the governor to concentrate on the official duty he was given mandate to carry out in 2019 without detraction, just as it also called on the governor not to allow himself to be pushed or rushed into any decision that would not be popular with the highly enlightened people of the state and beyond.
