Secret Reporters No place to hide
Secret Reporters
The lacuna of trust between the government and the people over the #EndSars protests may never be filled despite the immediate reaction of the Lagos State Government to set up an independent panel of enquiry to investigate the shooting of unarmed protesters at the Lekki toll gate by military operatives on the night of October 20, 2020.
This is following a document making the rounds on Nigeria social media space in which proposed members of the Independent Judicial panel will be allegedly subjected to taking an oath of secrecy to the Lagos state Governor Jide Sanwo-olu.
The document as seen by this online news medium revealed that the panel members are to swear that they will not directly or indirectly communicate or disclose any matter which shall come to their knowledge while serving in the panel except as may be required for the discharge of their official duties or as may be officially permitted by the Governor.
The Lagos State Governor, Jide Sanwo-olu in a bid to pacify angry Nigerian Youths on the backdrop of the #EndSars protest especially those who lost friends, loved ones and family members during the massacre at the Lekki toll gate described as a Black Tuesday in Nigeria had earlier promised the constitution of an Independent Judicial Panel to investigate the killings with the possible aim of bringing officers found wanting to book.
While many Nigerians believe that the hearing is just a charade by the government thus may have no positive outcome, critiques of the Sanwo-olu led administration have, however, attacked the move stating that if such is allowed then, it clearly nullifies the independence of the panel and the transparency of the public hearing and investigations which the governor promised.
