The list of people murdered and declared missing after the gunfire at Lekki toll gate during the #EndSARS protest in October 2020 has been released by the Lagos state judicial panel.
The commission listed 48 individuals as victims of the October 20, 2020 Lekki tollgate shooting in its 309-page report, which was made public. Males account for 47 of the victims, while females account for one.
Soldiers allegedly chose bullet shells during the night of October 20 and officers followed up on the morning of October 21 to pick bullet shells, according to the panel.
Security agents and LASEHMU (Lagos State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit) retrieved multiple unidentified bodies and deposited them at various hospital mortuaries in Lagos state, according to the panel.
The soldiers' refusal of ambulances, which may have aided in the early and effective care of injured protesters, was also highlighted as harsh and inhumane, and it contributed greatly to the large number of deaths and casualties.
"It was stated and substantiated that the troops had their vans stationed at the Lekki Toll Gate and removed as many bodies and corpses of the fallen," according to the report.
Olalekan Sanusi, one of the protestors who was shot and assumed dead, later escaped to recount his horror. "There were 11 bodies in the van where I was placed and presumed dead," he said.
On the night of October 20, 2020, Miss Dabira Ayuku corroborated the aforementioned by reporting that she witnessed roughly 7 dead bodies placed in one of the military trucks at the Lekki Toll Gate.
“It was alleged and corroborated that soldiers picked bullet shells on the night of October 20 and policemen followed up in the morning of October 21 to pick bullet shells.
“Several unidentified bodies were removed by security agencies and LASEHMU (Lagos State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit) and deposited at various hospital mortuaries in Lagos state.
“Three (3) trucks with brushes underneath were brought to the Lekki Toll Gate in the morning of October 21st October, 2020 to clean up the scene of bloodstains and other evidence.
“There was abundant evidence before the panel that the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) indicated in its Twitter handle that it had effectively cleaned up the Lekki Toll Gate scene immediately after the incident of October 20, 2020.
“The denial of ambulances by the soldiers, which could have assisted in the prompt and effective treatment of injured protesters, was cruel and inhuman and it contributed immensely to the large number of deaths and casualties on the part of the protesters, especially those from the Lekki Toll Gate.
“The panel finds the cases of death or injured protesters as credible and
uncontroverted.”
See the full list of casualties published on page 297 of the report below.
