By Abdullahi M. GullomaAbuja
Ministers from the south-west Wednesday told the Federal Executive Council (FEC) that there was the need for the federal government to undertake a thorough investigation into the Lekki Toll Plaza shooting of protesters, particularly the role of the military.
The ministers, who were directed by President Muhammadu Buhari to relocate to their home states to carry out a comprehensive review of the factors that necessitated the #EndSARS protests and the resultant crises across the country, also stressed the need for the federal government to ensure that the outcome of the investigation is made public with a view to achieving a closure on the matter.
Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola, who disclosed this to State House correspondents at the end of the weekly FEC meeting in Abuja, said the ministers also stressed the need for the federal government to focus on ethical re-orientation and inculcation of family values in school curriculum in the country.
“The other matter in which I briefed council on behalf of Ministers from the South West namely, Otunba Niyi Adebayo representing Ekiti, Rauf Aregbesola representing Osun, Sunday Dare representing Oyo, Olamilekan Adegbite representing Ogun, Olorunimbe Memora Lagos and Tayo Alashoadura representing Ondo, was in regards to how we executed the directive given by the President on the October 21st to ministers, for us to visit our State Governors in our states.
“So, we first met and then met with Governors. After meeting with the Governors, the position of the Governors was that Lagos being the epic centre, commercial and strategic city state in the south west and the country is where we should all go. That was what informed our visit to Lagos.
“So, I just briefed the council about the reports that were presented to us by the Lagos state government when we visited. The summary is that about 15 police stations were lost, commercial undertakings especially the ones in Lekki and many other parts in Surulere were damaged; some schools were also damaged, private properties were also damaged and public buildings like the city hall, the Lagos High Court, Lagos Forensic Laboratory and DNA Centre, the Nigeria Ports Authority were also damaged. The palace of the Oba of Lagos and many others. So, we presented the documentary evidence presented to us by the Government of Lagos State which was shown to Council.
“The highlight of the brief was to make recommendations to the federal government to support Lagos state to restore damaged facilities especially those related to the maintenance of law and order and the administration of justice such as police, court buildings and forensic laboratory.
“To also consider supporting the Lagos High Court Judges either with the provision of some office accommodation as a temporary relocation when that request is made, of course it was hinted during the visit.
“To also urge the federal government to consider short to medium term support to small and medium businesses who were affected by the looting and arson which took place in Lagos and other parts of the country, to see if something can be done through the Central Bank Intervention Mechanism under the COVID-19 funding or any other related funding mechanism.
“And to also ensure that whatever is approved should also involve the National Economic Council, the platform on which state governors meet, so that other states across the country who were also affected and whose businesses were damaged can benefit in addition to Lagos residents who may so be supported.
“We also urged the federal government to undertake a thorough investigation into what happened in the Lekki Toll Plaza, particularly the role of the military and ensure that the outcome is made public with a view to achieving closure on the matter.
“We recommended that the federal government re-mobilize critical organs and agencies such as the National Orientation Agency and formal educational institutions to focus on ethical re-orientation, inculcation of family values into the school curriculum. We recommended focus on etiquette, local reasoning, critical thinking, solution seeking, empathy, self-respect, civic duty and human rights,” he said.