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LAGOS ENDSARS PANEL REPORT: No Massacre at Lekki Toll Gate, FG Insists

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The Federal Government insisted yesterday that there was no massacre at Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos, contrary to the report of the panel set up by the Lagos State Government to investigate the incident which took place on October 20, 2020.

The Minister of Information & Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who stated this yesterday in response to the panel’s report, also described the report as a sham, arguing that the numerous errors, inconsistencies, discrepancies and omissions had rendered it a fable.

Mohammed, who spoke for the first time since the report was released on November 15, 2021, while he was away in Paris on official assignment, said the report is also questionable since its conclusions were not backed by any evidence.

He equally questioned the panel for ignoring the 57 innocent Nigerians, 37 policemen and six soldiers killed during the protests, wondering whether they were not Nigerians who deserved to be protected and defended. 

Mohammed expressed disappointment that the panel threw away key ballistic expert testimony that soldiers did not use live-grade weapons on protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate but concluded without evidence that soldiers killed the protesters with weapons.

He also faulted the panel for contradicting  itself by accepting the submission of a pathologist, Professor John Obafunwa, that only three of the bodies on which post-mortem were conducted were from Lekki and that only one had gunshot injury but went on to conclude that nine persons died of gunshot wounds at Lekki Toll Gate.

‘Panel report riddled with errors, speculations’

For these, Mohammed said: “Let me say that never in the history of  any judicial panel in this country has its report been riddled with so many errors, inconsistencies, discrepancies,

“What is circulating in public space is simply a rehash of the unverified fake news that has been playing on social media since the incident of October 20, 2020.

“It is simply incredible that a judicial panel set up to investigate an incident has submitted a report laden with allegations,  the same allegations it was set up to investigate in the first  instance.

“Instead of sitting for all of one year, the panel could have just compiled social media ‘tales by moonlight’ on the incident and submitted, saving taxpayers’ funds and everyone’s time. That report is nothing but the triumph of fake news and the intimidation of a silent majority by a vociferous lynch mob.

“It is clear from the ongoing that the report of the panel in circulation cannot be relied upon because its authenticity is in doubt. Besides, the Lagos State government, being the convening authority, is yet to release any official report to the public. Neither has the panel done so.

“The cowardly leakage of an unsigned report to the public is not enough. Assuming the report in circulation bears any iota of genuineness, it is basic knowledge that the report of such a panel is of no force until the convening authority issues a  White Paper and Gazette on it.

“It is, therefore, too premature for any person or entity to seek to castigate the Federal Government and its agencies or officials based on such an unofficial and unvalidated report.

‘No massacrein Lekki’

“There is absolutely nothing in the report that is circulating to make us change our stand that there was no massacre at Lekki on October 20, 2020. For us to change our stand, a well-investigated report of the incident that meets all required

standards and will withstand every scrutiny must be produced and presented to the public. “The report in circulation does not meet those requirements. We also appeal to the families of those allegedly killed in Lekki to speak out. It’s untenable to say  some families did not come out because they are afraid. Any parent who is afraid to testify about the death of his or her child is not worth to be called a parent.

“We reject the notion that our soldiers and policemen massacred innocent Nigerians at Lekki on October 20, 2020. That conclusion is not supported by the weight of available evidence. Indictment for murder is a very serious issue that cannot be done on the basis of allegations and corroborations, as the panel did.

‘Report calculated to embarrass FG’

“Such allegations must be proved beyond a reasonable doubt. The report in circulation is calculated to embarrass the Federal Government and its agencies without foolproof evidence. 

“The Federal Government has never condoned the abuse of the rights of Nigerians by security agencies under any guise; hence it disbanded SARS and encouraged states to set up the panels to investigate reports of human rights abuses allegedly committed by the disbanded SARS’ personnel.

‘’The 37 policemen and six soldiers who died across the country during the #EndSARS protest are also Nigerians and should not be forgotten. Those who have engaged in premature celebration of the report in circulation should now go back and read it thoroughly and tell Nigerians whether it can pass any serious scrutiny.

“We have read some critical analysis of the report by a courageous few. One commentator, a lawyer, said it raised more questions than answers. Another commentator, a journalist, called it a ‘disgraceful report by a disgraceful panel’, saying it reported allegations instead of investigating the allegations. VN

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Education

FG vows full WAEC CBT shift by 2026 – Minister

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The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to fully transitioning to Computer-Based Test (CBT) examinations for the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and other exam bodies by 2026.

Dr Alausa made this known while monitoring the conduct of WAEC’s CBT examinations in Abuja on Wednesday.

He expressed optimism about Nigeria’s capacity to modernise its examination system and reduce widespread malpractice through digital innovation.

Commending WAEC’s initiative, the minister described the shift from traditional pen-and-paper exams to CBT as a historic and crucial step toward fairness and educational integrity.

“We are working very hard to eliminate fraud in our exam system, and WAEC is taking the lead,” he said.

Highlighting the advantages of CBT, Alausa noted that the system simplified the exam process while significantly curbing cheating.

“We now have clear evidence that when exams are done using technology, the level of fraud is minimised to almost zero,” he stated.

He further lauded WAEC’s internal safeguards, explaining that the CBT system was operated via a secured Local Area Network (LAN), making it “literally impossible” to hack.

According to the minister, by Nov. 2025, all WAEC multiple-choice exams will be conducted using CBT.

He added that essay questions and NECO examinations would follow suit by 2026.

On infrastructure and logistics, particularly in remote areas, Alausa acknowledged the challenges but assured that scalable solutions are in progress.

“Are we going to be ready to provide every single needed infrastructure by November? Absolutely not.

“But as we move into the future, we will be ready. We have to challenge ourselves as government,” he said.

He also addressed concerns over the logistics of conducting multiple exams.

“In WAEC, the average student takes about eight to nine papers.

“They do it over several days. Those are the logistics we, as administrators, have to work through, and we already are,” he explained.

The ongoing WAEC exams, which began on April 24, are scheduled to conclude on June 20, 2025.

A total of 1,973,253 candidates from 23,554 schools are participating. Of this number, 979,228 candidates are male, accounting for 49.63 per cent, while 994,025 candidates are female, making up 50.37 per cent.(NAN)

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Ex-NBA President Seeks Higher Minimum Entry Requirements into Police

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A Former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), JB Daudu (SAN),has advocated for a higher minimum entry requirement for the Nigerian Police Force, suggesting a university degree or its equivalent.Daudu, who is the Coordinator of the Rule of Law Development Foundation made the call at the 13th Webinar series organized by the foundation on Tuesday in Abuja.

Report says that the webinar had the theme `Overview and Mid-Term Report of The Administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (May2023-May 2025)’.
He suggests that a more educated workforce would be better equipped to handle the challenges of policing, potentially leading to improved performance and effectiveness“This will ensure that all entry level officers receive a mandatory course in the recognition and enforcement of fundamental human rights that have been enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution (as amended).
“It will also ensure that they receive sufficient training in the handling of firearms to curb the wave of accidental discharge of firearms and all other cases of abuse of firearms that our citizens now suffer from’’.“As far as many Nigerians are concerned, the police force is not only moribund, but a large percentage of its personnel are branded as corrupt.“Most Nigerians don’t report crimes in which they are victims because of the fear that they may, in the course of pursuing their rights, be branded as the criminals, or be exploited for financial gain.“The federal government must commence the rebranding of the Nigerian Police Force’’.He equally called for improvement in their remuneration package, the provision of institutional support such as insurance cover, mandatory housing program, promotions as and when due, affordable health services, and educational support.The Learned Silk stressed the need to rewrite the disciplinary protocols of all security agencies and ensure that these rules are subjected to ordinary laws of the land through trials in our criminal courts.“Offences by errant policemen amounting not only to civil disciplinary issues but are also criminal in nature, must attract punishments that fit the offence.“Such offences as reckless misuse of firearms and police power leading to death or serious bodily harm of, and on, innocent victims must be appropriately punished rather than a mere slap on the wrist”.He added that serious and immediate thought must be given to the decentralisation of the Nigeria Police Force.“20 years ago, I championed the advocacy of an autonomous and independent state police completely severed from the umbilical cord of the federal police that is the Nigeria Police Force.“I cannot in good conscience state today that I can still support the creation of a blanket State Police left in the hands of the Governor of a State.“The reason for this shift in position is that the political maturity, and I say this with the utmost respect and humility, of our new set of leaders at the state level is not such as was in existence 25 years ago’’.He noted that creating state police at this point in time is to encourage flashpoints in different parts of the country some of which may escalate into ‘civil wars’.“I shudder to think of what would have happened if certain states which were recently plunged into political crisis had recourse to their police units during the political crisis that recently plagued their states.“For now and until the political actors improve in their political maturity, the alternative would be and should be ‘community police’.“I propose most respectfully a measure where every ward in a local government would have an office of the community police that will monitor and ensure the reportage of all crimes.“This should include the movement of all suspicious characters who may likely pose a threat to the peace and harmony of the community”.He added that where the threat is beyond the capability of the community, and escalates to the remaining wards and the Local government Headquarters, the State Police Command should step in.He said that all the funds being used to buy rice and other palliatives could be used to fund and equip security-watch offices in these locations as described above.“This means therefore that the local government council of every LGA must be made to be the centre point of the maintenance of law and order and the promotion of security in Nigeria.“Note that there is still the corruption factor and strict or severe punishment must be meted on local community police officers who corruptly abuse their power”. (NAN)

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NYCN Demands Probe into DPO’s Killing

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The Northern Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has called for a thorough investigation into the killing of CSP Baba Ali, a Divisional Police Officer in Kano State. Report says that the Police Command in Kano confirmed the killing on Monday, along with the burning of the Rano police station.

The DPO was reportedly killed by angry youths in Rano town, Rano Local Government Area, sparking widespread condemnation and concern across the country.
In a statement issued on Tuesday in Kaduna, NYCN National President, Isah Abubakar, expressed sorrow and described the incident as a grave national loss. “CSP Baba Ali served with dedication and integrity. His commitment to peace and security must be recognised and remembered,” Abubakar stated.
Abubakar urged the Federal Government to launch an impartial investigation, calling for cooperation among relevant agencies to reveal the circumstances of the officer’s death. He emphasised that the investigation must be transparent, keeping the victim’s family and the public informed at every stage. The NYCN president also demanded justice not only for CSP Baba Ali but for all Nigerians striving for safety and security. He called on the government to adopt measures that strengthen security forces and ensure better protection for officers on duty. “The death of CSP Baba Ali underscores the urgent need for united efforts against violence. Government must act decisively to prevent similar tragedies,” he added. (NAN)

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