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UN Urges FG to Implement Lagos #EndSARS Panel Recommendations

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#EndSARS Protesters

By Adedapo Adesanya

The United Nations (UN) has called on the federal government to implement the recommendations of the Judicial Panel of Inquiry and Restitution set up to investigate issues surrounding the #EndSARS protests of 2020.

This call was given by the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr Edward Kallon in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday, noting that the submission of the report of the panel was a welcome development.

“I welcome the submission to the Lagos State Governor, H.E. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, of the reports of the judicial panel on claims of brutality and shooting in the Lekki area of Lagos State, during the 2020 #EndSARS protests,” he said.

Mr Kallon noted that the submission of the findings of the judicial panel would accelerate the process of justice and accountability.

“I urge the government to implement the recommendations of the judicial panel of inquiry to rebuild trust and start the process of healing and reconciliation,” he added.

Background

On Monday, the panel, established to look into the shootings at the Lekki Tollgate on October 20, 2020, submitted its report to the Lagos State Government.

However, a leaked version of the report indicting the state government and the Nigerian Army was released on the Internet, leading to an uproar across social media.

In the report, the panel indicted soldiers and implicated Nigeria’s security agents in the killing and forced disappearances of harmless and unarmed youths protesting at Lekki Tollgate on October 20, 2020.

The Justice Doris Okuwobi-led panel made the revelation in a 309-page report submitted to Governor Sanwo-Olu, which found that at least 48 protesters were either shot dead or injured or assaulted.

Also, page 294 of the report read: “The atrocious maiming and killing of unarmed, helpless and unresisting protesters, while sitting on the floor and waving their Nigerian flags while singing the National Anthem can be equated to a ‘massacre’ in context.”

On page 295: “It was alleged and corroborated that the soldiers had their vans parked at the Lekki Toll Gate and removed as many bodies and corpses of the fallen protesters which they took away with their vans.”

According to the report, “the  Nigerian  Army was invited for intervention in the  State and was deployed to Lekki  Toll  Gate on the  20th  of  October  2020.

“At the  Lekki  Toll  Gate,  officers of the Nigerian  Army shot,  injured and killed unarmed helpless and defenceless protesters, without provocation or justification,  while they were waving the  Nigerian  Flag and singing the National  Anthem and the manner of assault and killing could,  in context, be described as a  massacre.

“The Panel also found that the conduct of the  Nigerian Army was exacerbated by its refusal to allow ambulances render medical assistance to victims who required such assistance.

“The Army was also found not to have adhered to its own  Rules of Engagement.

“The Panel found that the  Nigerian  Police  Force deployed its officers to the  Lekki  Toll Gate on the night of the  20th  October 2020  and between that night and the morning of the  21st  of  October,  2020,    its officer shot at,  assaulted and battered unarmed protesters,  which led to injuries and deaths.

“The police officers also tried to cover up their actions by picking up bullets.

“The panel found that  LCC  hampered the panel’s investigation by refusing to turn over some useful and vital information/evidence as requested by the  Panel and the Forensic  Expert engaged by the panel,  even where such information and evidence was by the company’s admission, available.

“It manipulated the incomplete  CCTV Video footage of the  Lekki  Toll Gate on the night of the  20th  of  October  2020,  which it tendered before the Panel.

“The Panel found that there was an invitation of the Nigerian Army to Lagos State made by the  Lagos  State  Government through the  Governor before the hierarchy of the  Nigerian  Army deployed its soldiers to the  Lekki  Toll  Gate on the night of the  20th of  October.

“The  Panel  found  that  there  was  an  attempt  to  cover  up  the  Incident  of  the  20th  of October  by  the  cleaning  of  the  Lekki  Toll  Gate  and  the  failure  to  preserve  the  scene ahead  of  potential  investigations.”

In its recommendations, the panel recommended various sums of compensation to victims of the  Lekki  Toll Gate  Incident, which must be expeditious in order to accelerate the healing process.

It also recommended that any data that may have been generated over the years on the impunity of the Police across Nigeria be studied and deployed as early warning signs  (EWS)  mechanism.

Others include sanctioning of the officers of the Nigerian Army and the  Nigerian Police Force respectively who participated in the shooting, injuring and killing of unarmed protestors at the  Lekki  Toll  Gate on the  20  and  21st  of  October  2020; Development of more robust engagement between the Youth and the  Government; Setting up of a  Standing  Committee/Tribunal to deal with cases of  Violation of  Human Rights by security agencies and a trust fund to settle compensation awarded by such committee/tribunal, among others.

Adedapo Adesanya is a journalist, polymath, and connoisseur of everything art. When he is not writing, he has his nose buried in one of the many books or articles he has bookmarked or simply listening to good music with a bottle of beer or wine. He supports the greatest club in the world, Manchester United F.C.

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Badeggi FM Radio: SERAP, Guild of Editors Sue Governor Bago

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By Adedapo Adesanya

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) have filed a suit against the Niger State Governor, Mr Umar Bago, over the alleged threat to shut down a private radio station in the state, Badeggi FM Radio.

In the suit, marked FHC/L/CS/1587/2025, and filed on Friday, August 8, 2025, at the Federal High Court, Lagos, SERAP and NGE sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining the governor and NBC from further harassing, intimidating, and/or threatening to shut down Badeggi FM radio, revoke its licence, and profile the station’s owner.

“Unless the reliefs sought are granted, the governor will continue to threaten, intimidate, and harass the radio station and its owner and may weaponise the NBC against the station,” the groups said.

They asked the court to determine “whether by Section 22 of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] and Section 2(1)(t) of the NBC Act, the NBC has the legal duty to protect Badeggi FM from the ongoing intimidation from the governor.”

The plaintiffs also appealed to the court to declare “that by the combined provisions of Section 22 of the Constitution and Section 2(1)(t) of the NBC Act, the NBC has the legal duty to protect Badeggi FM station and other broadcasting outlets in Nigeria from any threat, intimidation and harassment”.

In the suit, SERAP and NGE argued that “the failure and/or neglect of the NBC to protect and defend the independence of Badeggi FM radio against arbitrary executive interference and ongoing intimidation constitutes a breach of its statutory duty to ensure fair, independent, and lawful broadcasting practices in Nigeria.”

They noted that “the ongoing intimidation, and threat by Mr Bago to strip Badeggi FM station of its licence, further threat to demolish the station’s premises and profile its owner is unlawful and a violation of the rights to freedom of expression, access to information, and media freedom”.

According to them, “the allegations of inciting violence against Badeggi FM and its owner are vague, unfounded and unsubstantiated and apparently made to silence the radio station”.

Recall that last week, SERAP and NGE asked the governor to reverse his directive of an immediate revocation of the operational licence of Badeggi Radio station. He accused the privately owned station of consistently inciting the public against the state government through its broadcasts.

Governor Bago issued the order during an expanded All Progressives Congress (APC) Caucus meeting held at the Hauwa Wali Multipurpose Hall in Government House, Minna.

According to him, such conduct was not only unprofessional but a deliberate attempt to destabilise the current administration’s efforts under the New Niger Development Agenda.

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NNPC Suspends Ikorodu Station Manager Over Pump Attendant’s Misconduct

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By Modupe Gbadeyanka

The manager of one of the retail stations of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State has been suspended.

The action followed the alleged misconduct of one of the pump attendants of the affected filling station, a statement from the organisation said.

In the statement signed by the management of NNPC in Abuja on Friday, it was disclosed that the pump attendant accused of attempting to “swindle a customer” has been sacked and is longer working with the company.

The state-owned oil firm took these actions after its attention was “drawn to a recent video circulating on social media platforms depicting a pump attendant at a filling station attempting to swindle a customer.”

It was explained that after receiving the video, “a thorough investigation” was carried out and the incident was “traced to a station in Ikorodu, Lagos.”

NNPC Retail Limited, which is in charge of the downstream business of NNPC Limited, described the behaviour of the said pump attendant as “unacceptable,” emphasising that it “does not reflect the company’s commitment to integrity, transparency, and exceptional customer service.”

Apparently to deter others from emulating such, NNPC Retail Limited said, “The pump attendant involved has been disengaged, the Station Manager has been suspended, and a formal warning letter has been issued to the dealer” in charge of the facility.

“NNPC Retail would like to thank the public for their vigilance and encourage the reporting of any incidents through the appropriate channels (customer service numbers and email displayed at all stations) for immediate action.

“The company assures all customers of its continued strict enforcement of compliance with its operational standards across its network of filling stations,” the statement noted.

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ValueJet Blockage: K1 De Ultimate Begs Nigerians, Authorities for Forgiveness

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By Modupe Gbadeyanka

Fuji maestro, Mr Wasiu Ayinde, fondly known as K1 De Ultimate, has apologised over the unfortunate incident involving him blocking a ValueJet aircraft taxing at the local wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on August 5, 2025.

The musician was seen in videos on the internet attempting to prevent the plane from taxing, an action described by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development as “reprehensible.”

He said if the pilot and the co-pilot were punished by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) by revoking their licences; Mr Ayinde should also be sanctioned, directing he should be put on no fly list.

Earlier, the spokesman of the music act, Mr Kunle Rasheed, said Mr Ayinde was the victim of the incident, absolving him of any wrong-doing.

K1 De Ultimate was not allowed to be on the aircraft carrying passengers from Abuja to Lagos because he refused to give up his flask alleged to contain alcohol.

In a statement on Friday, the musician claimed the content in the flask was water, which he was advised by his doctor to take regularly because of a health issue.

“Unknown to many, I suffer from chronic dehydration, and my doctor strongly advised that I remain constantly hydrated. This is why I always carry a water flask with me. And contrary to the negative narrative being circulated in some quarters, the flask I carried on that particular day contained only water — not alcohol, as wrongly alleged.

“For the record, I passed through two security screenings with the flask empty. The flask was only filled with water at the lounge area, just before heading to the tarmac. This fact can be verified by the CCTV footage at the airport lounge. More so, I hadn’t even boarded the plane, let alone being deboarded.

“However, I acknowledge and deeply regret the concerns that arose from the incident. It was never my intention to cause any disruption or violate aviation protocols in any way.

“My unwavering patriotism and unshaken loyalty to the Federal Republic of Nigeria have never been in doubt. Over the years, I have consistently used my God-given talent and platform to promote the Nigerian brand across the globe. I would never do anything to tarnish the image I’ve built over the past five decades, nor would I knowingly act in a way that could diminish the reputation of the country I love so dearly.

“That said, the incident is sincerely regretted. I remain committed to upholding the values and responsibilities that come with being a global ambassador of Nigerian music and culture.

“To the Presidency, Ministry of Aviation, FAAN, NCAA, ValueJet, fellow Nigerians, and my teeming fans across the world who have shown great concern since the incident happened, I tender my unreserved and heartfelt apology,” he said in the statement.

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