The Lagos State Government has published the report of its white paper following the report of the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry stating that the report was unreliable and unacceptable.
The Judicial Panel established, in its report, the presence of the Nigerian Army, the Policemen and revealed that what happened on the 20th of October 2020 can be considered a massacre.
Meanwhile, some of the EndSARS campaigners which includes; Folarin Falana popularly known as Falz and Debo Adebayo known as Mr Marcaroni have rejected the invitation by the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to a peace walk in December.
In a speech on Tuesday, Governor Sanwo-Olu stated that he will be leading the walk for peace for the healing of the land after the Lekki massacre which happened on the 20th of October 2020.
“In December, I will be leading A WALK FOR PEACE to herald the healing of our land. Let me use this occasion to extend an open invitation to our youths, members of the diplomatic corps, civil society groups, students and the media as well as other stakeholders to join me.”
Specifically, the governor invited Falana, Adebayo, Dele Farotimi, Temitope Majekodunmi, Segun Awosanya (Segalink), Adedotun (Just Detoun), Seun Kuti; Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu; and Commander of Rapid Response Squad CSP Yinka Egbeyemi and others to join him in the “historic march for our dear Lagos.”
Rejecting the invitation, Falz wrote, “This suggestion of a “walk for peace” sounds like a joke and a very disrespectful one at that.
People were murdered in cold blood and absolutely no iota of justice has been served more than a year after.
How can there be peace without justice?
“In this same speech, you said “To be a smart city, we first must be a just one”
Remember the young Nigerians that had their lives snatched away by weapons weilded by our own armed forces? You want to sweep that under the carpet ? Is that how to establish a just city?
Young Nigerians, till today, are still being constantly harassed and extorted by police officers!! You were awfully quiet about that. Or are you not aware? #ENDSARS”
Also rejecting the invitation, Adebayo, who tweeted via @mrmacaronii, said he was harassed, dehumanised and beaten on his last walk of peace and was not ready to do that anymore.
“The last walk wey I do, na so dem bundle me, strip me naked, brutalize and dehumanize me. I no carry gun, I no carry weapon.
As dem dey beat me, dem dey ask why I dey disturb Mr Governor.
Now dem say make I come do walk. For another round of beating??
Abeg o. If I wan lose weight, I go go gym. Same peaceful Walk wey Nigerian Youths do wey dem kill them? Some are still in prison.. some have gone into hiding. Their lives no longer theirs all because we decided to walk against police brutality.
Mr Governor has said it in his speech. That to be a center of Excellence, we have to be a Center of Truth. Before there can be healing, the government has to be sincere. There must be acceptance of wrongdoings and willingness to correct them.
“I humbly decline the Invitation of Mr Governor. The Government itself set up a panel. The panel has made recommendations. I believe that genuine peacemaking will begin by first implementing the recommendations of the panel. Then, we can begin to trust the government.
“Finally, I’m not at war with anyone. Not with the government, police or politicians. All we are asking is that our leaders place value on our lives as citizens and lead us with love, fairness, truth and justice, to enable all Nigerians live a better life in peace and unity,” he wrote.
After the rejection, the report of the white paper was made available to some journalists.
