The Judicial Panel of Inquiry probing the alleged shootings of #EndSARS protesters by soldiers at the Lekki tollgate in Lagos on Tuesday declined the request by the operators of the tollgate, Lekki Concession Company, to take possession of the tollgate.
Counsel for LCC, Rotimi Seriki, had urged the panel to allow the firm “take possession” of the tollgate plaza to evaluate the level of damage for the purpose insurance claims.
Seriki said, “My humble request is that if the tribunal doesn’t have further need to visit the plaza, the LCC should be permitted to take back possession of the toll plaza for the purpose of evaluation of the damage and commence the process of carrying out necessary repairs.”
But Chairman of the panel, retired Justice Doris Okuwobi, in a short ruling on Tuesday, said the tollgate plaza would remain closed.
Justice Okuwobi said although the panel agreed that it was necessary for LCC to go and evaluate the level of damage “we will not grant that access yet”.
He added that the need may arise for the panel to revisit the ruling.
The judge noted that the panel might have a need to pay another visit to the tollgate plaza after watching the video footage from a surveillance camera submitted by the LCC on Tuesday.
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