#EndSARS: Five reasons Sanwo-Olu should testify

By Tasie Theodore

Recently, Barrister Adesina Ogunlana, Counsel for the #EndSARS protesters in Lagos said it is important that Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu should testify at the state’s Judicial Panel of Inquiry into the #EndSARS saga.

Here are five reasons why the governor’s personal appearance is required:

One, there is a lot of confusion out there as to what happened in the Lagos #EndSARS debacle. As one in the saddle, his testimony would help address a lot of that ambiguity.

Two, soldiers were deployed to the Lekki tollgate to enforce the curfew imposed by Governor Sanwo-Olu and shot at or over the peaceful protesters to disperse them. It is important that the Governor walks the tribunal through the timeline of incidents and notably also, addresses questions related to the army’s clam to not having been communicated on the extension of the curfew time.

Three, as Chief Security Officer of the state, the governor is no doubt fed with reports all the time. It is important that he sheds more light on the exact threat level information he had that necessitated the authorisation to deploy troops to the Toll Gate

Four, as one who holds office on the basic premise of the constitutional order and rule of law, the governor’s accepting to testify would strengthen the point about his own personal commitment to the supremacy of the democratic order and the justice imperative.

Five, the governor’s testimony will also practically demonstrate that ‘the Lagos State Government is indeed committed to unraveling the truth about what happened at Lekki on that day.’

Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu