Sanwo-Olu has now directed the State’s Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, to open an investigation into the incident.

Lagos Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotosho, disclosed this at a joint briefing by the state government and the Lekki Concession Company (LCC) in Lagos on Monday.

Omotosho insisted that Sanwo-Olu’s administration would never trample on the rights of residents.

Also, the Managing Director of Lekki Concession Company (LCC), Yomi Omomuwasan, spoke on alleged use of the firm’s operational vehicle to convey protesters at the tollgate.

Omomuwasan explained that the vehicle was donated to the police to assist them as a logistical support.

He also said the request to reopen the tollgate from the judicial panel of inquiry, was because the firm needs to carry out an assessment of valuables that were lost to the October 20, 2020 violent protest with the aim of getting the necessary insurance cover.

Omomuwasan insisted the reopening was not to immediately start tolling on the facilities.

The MD of the LCC also stressed that an estimated N2.5bn worth of assets were lost during the protest.

“As of 2011, we had N24 billion owned by local lenders and N49 billion borrowed from the International Development Bank.

“We need to bring a formal report of assessment of the damage back to our lenders because when you don’t pay, you are blacklisted. The claims could be verified. Assets would require a team of engineers both within and outside to do critical assessments.

“We need to do civil and electrical works, which cannot be completed within three months,” Omomuwasan added.

The government stated that the protest would mean that residents would be flouting the coronavirus protocols.

Recall that the panel probing the alleged killing of EndSARS protesters at the toll gate on Saturday approved the reopening of the toll plaza and returned control to its owners, the Lekki Concession Company (LCC).

There was an outcry by Nigerians on social media following the reopening of the tollgate.

Several Nigerians through their social media kicked against the reopening, stressing that justice is yet to take its due cause.

They also vowed to stage another protest with the hashtag #OccupyLekkiTollgate, if the Lagos state government failed to heed their warnings.

Following the development, the Lagos State Commissioner of Justice and Attorney General, Moyosore Onigbanjo, in a statement warned that the state government will not tolerate any form of violent actions.

Onigbanjo, however, urged the police to respect the right of citizens.

“Our attention is drawn to the planned protest scheduled for Saturday at the Lekki Toll Gate for and against its reopening.

“The State is aware of the 1999 Constitution which guarantees the Rights to Freedom of Expression and Peaceful Assembly.

“While the State recognises the importance of exercising the Rights to Peaceful Protests, same cannot condone blockage of roads or preventing other members of the public from moving freely within the State.

“Any person or group with such desire to protest must also bear in mind the Coronavirus Disease Health Regulations.

“The Attorney General hereby enjoins everyone to ensure compliance with the coronavirus regulations and any other extant laws in the State.

“The right to protest peacefully does not exempt anyone from violating laws. Any violator will therefore be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

“The Nigeria Police is equally urged, that in responding to any protest, it should respect the rights of the citizen,” the statement said.

President Buhari added that his government has heard and has listened to the demands of the #ENDSARS protesters and that the government is committed to fulfilling the five demands.

Read the full speech below

“My fellow countrymen and women,

First, I would like to thank and praise the Almighty who saw us through the year 2020 and has given us the opportunity to witness the start of another new year. We especially thank God because the year 2020 was one of the most trying years since our existence as a Nation.

2. This can also be said about all other nations around the world, due to the challenges posed on our collective humanity by the novel COVID-19 pandemic.
3. While acknowledging that 2020 was a very tough year, we saw this year put to test our national resilience and ability to survive these tough times and also gave renewed hope that we will again brave any storms that lay ahead in 2021 and beyond.
4. As we celebrate the opportunity before us in this New Year 2021, we must also acknowledge the passing away of our brothers and sisters who didn’t make it into this New Year. May their souls rest in perfect peace.
5. We must remember that we also celebrated the historic occasion of our sixty years as an independent and sovereign country on October 1st 2020. In the spirit of hope and gratitude, I would like to remind us again that as a country on the difficult journey to nationhood and greatness, we have confounded the many pundits at home and around the world who never gave the newly-born country that emerged unto the world stage on 1st October 1960 a chance of surviving much longer than a few years.
6. Yet, here we are, 61 years by the next anniversary in October, and not only are we here, we are standing tall in the comity of nations as one country united under the will of God and also actively growing that indivisible Nigerian spirit that has enabled us, year after year, decade after decade, to weather all stormy waters and emerge stronger and better where others have fallen and disintegrated. This nation, this Nigeria will survive and thrive.
7. In this journey to nationhood, we have experienced the highs and lows. 2020 indeed came with a lot of challenges ranging from security and economic issues across the regions to understandable protests that were mainly led by our youths and served notice to the demand for police reforms and accountability. This government heard, this government listened and this government is committed to fulfilling the five demands of our youths, fully understanding that we all wish well for Nigeria.
8. In the midst of all these challenges, I had initially pledged that as your elected President and Commander-in-Chief, I would ensure that these ongoing challenges will be faced head-on with renewed determination and with all the appropriateness and urgency required. Your voices have been heard and we would continue to listen to you, and all the key stakeholders who are committed to the unity of Nigeria to ensure that every region of this nation is safe for us all, while guaranteeing that the future is also secure for the coming generation.
9. I wish to also use this occasion of New Year to reaffirm my commitment to the people of Nigeria, especially the youth who need our collective encouragement and support. In securing this nation we need to secure the future of our youth.
10. Our young people are our most valuable natural resource, at home and abroad. Their ingenuity, creativity, innovation and entrepreneurial spirit is evident to all. Many of our young people are excelling in various spheres of life including sports, entertainment, information and communication technology, commerce and are globally recognized as achievers.
11. As a Government we are committed to actively engaging with the creative energies of our young people. In this regard, we will partner with the legislature to develop an enabling environment to turn their passions into ideas that can be supported, groomed and scaled across regions. This will create vast opportunities in fintech, agriculture, business process startups and in the entertainment industry.
12. The year 2021 will indeed be a year where we will work to reinforce the hopes of fellow Nigerians in the vision of a united and progressive Nigeria. This administration would continue focusing on delivering key strategic priorities under our “SEA” – (Security, Economy and Anti-Corruption) Agenda. Some of the key priority areas we would direct our attention and strengths to include:

ON THE SECURITY:

13. Re-energizing and reorganizing the security apparatus and personnel of the armed forces and the police with a view to enhance their capacity to engage, push back and dismantle the operations of both internal and external extremist and criminal groups waging war against our communities in some parts of the country.
14. In line with the current security challenges, we are facing as a Nation, I would like to reiterate the promise I made recently when over 300 of our boys abducted from Government Science Secondary School, Kankara were successfully rescued by our security operatives.
15. The professionalism shown by our Security Forces and the collaboration from all stakeholders across both State and Federal Governments that led to the successful rescue of the boys is proof that Nigeria has the internal capacity to decisively deal with terror attacks on our citizens.
16. However, we recognize that we rapidly have to move to a more proactive and preemptive posture to ensure that these sorts of traumatic incidents do not become a norm. Our administration is fully aware of the responsibility we have to protect the lives and property of all Nigerians, and we will not relent in learning and adapting to changing threats to our national security and civic wellbeing.

ON THE ECONOMY:

17. Our focus is on revamping the economy through the national economic diversification agenda that supports the primary goal of national food self-sufficiency. This has helped reduce the growing food related inflationary figures and have in considerable measure positively impacted our food security status during the long months of the pandemic lock down.
18. We are also currently rebuilding our national infrastructure base and, in the process, introducing transformation through the rehabilitation, modernization, and expansion of the railway system, national roads and bridges both in rural and urban centres, alongside the airports and seaports.
19. The reforms we have put in place in the power sector would guarantee increased efficiency in our drive to significantly expand the generation and distribution of electricity for use in homes and factories.
20. As an administration we are currently undertaking a series of special interventions designed to boost job creation and support the entrepreneurial drive of our youths.
21. With the recent opening of our borders, we expect that the pent-up demand of legitimate cross-border and international trade will boost the fortunes of the many small businesses and agricultural enterprises that depend on Nigeria’s trade and commerce.
22. The message to our West African neighbours is that Nigeria is once again fully open for those willing to conduct business in a fair and equitable way.

ANTI-CORRUPTION:

23. On the anti-corruption drive of our administration, we have recorded substantial gains so far and this year, we are committed to continuing along the path of eradicating corruption, through collaboration with all the arms of Government to effectively prosecute this fight.
24. While we would be working with the Legislature to enact laws that would strengthen this fight, we would also be looking at reviewing some of our laws which would ensure that this fight is more effective. On the part of the executive, we would ensure the diligent and timely prosecution of corruption cases, while appealing to the judiciary to ensure that corruption cases are dispensed with expeditiously.
25. The persistence of various forms of violence has meant that in the most affected parts of the country, the fabric of inter-communal harmony woven through years of investment of effort at building trust, mutual respect, and harmony has been threatened.
26. Insecurity as a challenge has direct repercussions on our national economic stability, growth, and development, setting us back at critical points through the destruction of public and private investments.
27. In parts of the country where chronic poverty, social exclusion, and disillusionment among sections of the youth were already a problem, the cycles of violence that have been unleashed by mindless groups like Boko Haram and others have thwarted the efforts of government to undertake the social policy and associated investments that could make a huge difference in the quality of life of our citizens.
28. I am aware that for some of our compatriots, the progress we have registered since the inception of this administration is not nearly as fast or as sufficient as they would wish. I do not begrudge them their views in so far as they signify a wish, in which we all share, for only the very best for our country.
29. Nevertheless, I call upon all Nigerians to carefully recall the circumstances of our coming to office, the facts on the ground and the resources at our disposal since 2015 with the accomplishments of this administration.
30. As a people, we have shown admirable resilience in the face of every adversity, an unmatched capacity to recover speedily from every setback, an unparalleled generosity of spirit when we resolve our differences, and a constant readiness to invest faith and hope in the destiny we share as a united country built on the diversity of its peoples.
31. It is these attributes that underpin the Nigerian spirit of “can do, will do” that gives me hope that we shall yet get to destination and fulfill our calling together, especially with the solid resolutions we are setting in this new year.
32. Keeping our country on a forward march is a duty which we all have and share. In this regard, keeping our country safe from a resurgent cycle of COVID-19 as this administration finalizes its plans to procure and efficiently and effectively distribute the COVID-19 vaccines, I urge you all fellow citizens to observe strict COVID-19 prevention protocols.
33. As your elected President, my pledge to you is the same as it has always been; I will play my part fully and without fear or favour. I invite all of us to do the same. It is what we owe to the founding generation of our beloved country and also to the coming generation. It is what we desire for national prosperity for all demands.
34. Long Live the Nigerian spirit of oneness, togetherness, and unity. Long Live the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I wish you a Happy and prosperous New Year.

May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

While maintaining that there was no corpse during the protest at Lekki toll gate, Buratai stressed that those claiming protesters were killed were seeing double.

The Army chief made this known at the decoration of 39 newly promoted Major Generals on Friday in Abuja.

“I am glad that we held the Spiritual Warfare Seminar on Wednesday and most of the decorated Generals today are graduates of the Spiritual Warfare Seminar.

“I must say that the Spiritual Warfare Seminar we had last time, helped us during the last #EndSARS protest to the extent that there was no single corpse, but some persons were seeing double at Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos State,” Buratai said.

Several protesters demonstrating against bad governance were reported killed by soldiers at the Lekki toll gate.

Popular Nigerian Disc Jockey, Obianuju Catherine Udeh, also known as DJ Switch, had alleged that soldiers shot and killed some of the people protesting at Lekki toll gate.

However, the 81 Division of the Nigerian Army had maintained that soldiers drafted to the scene didn’t kill any protester.

The Army, however, admitted that soldiers were at the venue of the protest but did not kill anybody.

InsideOjodu repoeted on Thursday that the NPF had filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja praying for an order to stop the various states’ judicial panels of enquiry probing allegations of rights abuses and other acts of the brutality of the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad and other police tactical units.

The suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1492/2020, urged the court to restrain the Attorneys-General of the 36 states of the federation and their various panels of enquiry from going ahead with the probe focussing on police impunity.

But, the NPF on Friday filed a notice of discontinuance by a lawyer to the NPF, Festus Ibude.

“Take notice that the plaintiff herein intends to and doth hereby wholly withdraws its suit against all the defendants,” the notice reads.

There have been several criticism following this suit for attempting to stop the investigations.

This led to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, directing immediate investigation into the lawsuit.

Leader of the team, Akinwolu Kehinde, said the Nigerian Army is not under any form of trial over the shooting at the Lekki tollgate that allegedly resulted in the death of #EndSARS protesters.

Kehinde, who led the legal team to submit its report to the Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, at the Army Headquarters in Abuja, said no person or group petitioned against the Nigerian Army over the October 20 incident.

According to him, the Nigerian Army was never summoned but was rather invited to throw light on what happened at the Lekki tollgate.

“I want it to be clear that at no point in time was the Nigerian Army summoned as a respondent, at no time was the Nigerian Army mentioned. Army was there to throw light on what happened,” he said.

Kehinde added further that, “at the end of the presentation. The NA was able to explain its involvement, we were able to establish that the NA did not set out on its own to intervene; the NA was called because the civil Police was overwhelmed. We were able to show the footage, both oral and visual to show the role of the NA”.

Responding shortly after receiving the copies of the report, the Chief of Army Staff who was represented by the Chief of Policy and Plans, Nigerian Army, Lieutenant General Lamidi Adeosun, said the Nigerian Army is a professional organization that is guided by rules and regulations.

He noted that it’s one of the obligations of the NA to assist civil authorities in line with its rules of engagement, when invited.

The Minister made the claims during a stakeholders’ meeting with members of the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON) in Abuja.

Pointing out the demands, the Minister said the #EndSARS protesters had demanded the immediate release of all arrested protesters, justice for all deceased victims of police brutality and appropriate compensation for their families.

He said the protesters also requested that an independent body oversees the investigation and prosecution of all reports of police misconduct within ten days and the increase of Police salary to adequately compensate for the risks involved in protecting the lives and property of citizens.

The minister noted that the Federal Government was not only responsive to the demands of the End SARS protesters but was also very responsible in its handling of their requests.

“As you can see, ladies and gentlemen we met the five demands.

“Some, like disbandment of SARS, were met immediately while we kick-started the process of meeting others that cannot be done with an immediate pronouncement.

“Despite this, the protest continued, and the demands kept expanding, until the protest was hijacked, leading to unprecedented violence characterized by killings, maiming, arson, looting etc.”

“The Federal Government was not only responsive but was also very responsible in its handling of the demands of the #EndSARS protesters” He claimed.

The panel is probing the alleged killing of peaceful protesters who were shoot by soldiers at the Lekki tollgate on October 20.

Ogunlana told the retired Justice Doris Okuwobi-led panel that Fashola must be summoned, to explain how he found a camera at the tollgate five days after the incident.

According to Ogunlana, the visit to the tollgate on October 25 when Fashola found a camera “suggests an intrusion” into the evidence of the October 20 shootings.

Ogunlana said this on Saturday while cross-examining the Managing Director of the Lekki Concession Company, operator of the Lekki tollgate, Mr Abayomi Omomuwa.

Ogunlana had asked Omomuwa if he was aware that “on October 25, the Governor of Lagos State brought some persons to visit the tollgate?” to which, Omomuwa said he only read it in the news.

Then Ogunlana asked him, “Where is that camera that the minister, popularly known as Agent Fash, removed?” And in response, Omomuwa said, “I don’t know.”

The panel chairman, Justice Okuwobi, then told Ogunlana that he would have to follow the proper procedure if he wanted Fashola’s appearance before the panel.

Then, hinting that he would be requesting that Fashola be summoned, Ogunlana said, “I wouldn’t know if it is too early for me to apply for Minister Fashola to appear before the panel to assist investigation?”

The Minister disclosed this during a stakeholders’ meeting with members of the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON) in Abuja.

According to him,  fake news and disinformation spread like wildfire on social media during the #EndSARS protests, thereby leading to killings and vandalism in different states across Nigeria.

It could be recalled that violence, looting and destruction occurred in the wake of the #EndSARS protest across Nigeria as some hoodlums attacked protesters who had been demanding an end to police brutality in Lagos State and other parts of the country.

“The violence that resulted from the hijack of the End SARS protest was catalyzed by fake news and disinformation, which spread like wildfire on social media.

“And this didn’t come to us as a surprise. As far back as 2017, we had been raising the alarm on the risks posed by fake news and disinformation.

“That year, we devoted the National Council on Information to the issue of fake news, hate speech and disinformation. The following year, in 2018, we launched the national campaign against fake news and disinformation, partnering with a number of print and electronic media organizations,” Mohammed said.

Speaking during a debate in the house on Monday, November 23, Lyn stated that the least they can do is to make sure that those who have “murdered” Nigerians and deprived them of their human rights are not able to benefit from trade or travel to the UK.

She added that these include government officials and the Nigerian army who are stopping a “transparent investigation and effecting of justice.” The lawmaker also averred that it was unfortunate that the Federal Government went ahead to not only accuse protesters of sponsoring terrorism and freeze their accounts but also blamed them for the increase in food prices.