By Ade Jacobs
The Lagos State Judicial Panel On Restitution For Victims of SARS could not sit today following reports that the account of Bolatito Odulana, one of the members representing the youths, had been frozen by the federal government.
Some civil society groups who came to the panel had threatened to disrupt the sitting in protest of the government’s decision to restrict the accounts of EndSARS protesters and promoters.
Among those expected to appear today was the Nigerian Army which had agreed to give evidence to the panel on their role in the alleged shooting of some protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate, Lagos, on October 20.
365Daily reported earlier that CBN had obtained an order from the Federal High Court, Abuja division, directing some commercial banks to block specific account numbers belonging to #EndSARS promoters or donors.
The accounts of Odulana and 19 other persons believed to be sympathetic to the protesters in seven commercial banks were blocked on the order of the CBN. The banks are Access Bank, Fidelity Bank, First Bank, United Bank of Africa, Guaranty Trust Bank and Zenith Bank PLC.
In protest, Odulana and the other youth representative informed the chairman of the panel, Justice Doris Okuwobi, of their decision not to work with the panel until the matter concerning her account was resolved.
365Daily also learnt from sources close to the youth leaders that they are planning to resign from the panel as pressure is being mounted on them by their colleagues who think that the government is trying to victimise those that led the protest.
This, obviously, did not sit well with Justice Okuwobi and other members of the panel who said the action of the federal government has put a spanner in their work because the absence of the two youth representatives means that the panel cannot form a quorum without them.
Adesina Ogunlana, one of the lawyers representing the EndSARS protesters, also told 365Daily that the federal government is trying to frustrate the panel.
Adesina Ogunlana, counsel to #EndSARS
According to him, the position of the panel has been compromised over the decision of the government to freeze the account of one of the panel members, adding that it would be better for the judicial panel to be dissolved or members to resign their positions.
Meanwhile, some civil society groups and observers at the panel told 365Daily that the federal government has not shown good faith concerning the EndSARS protesters, noting that its promise to end to end police brutality in the country is a fluke.
Expressing frustration over the decision of the CBN to freeze the accounts of EndSARS leaders, the activists said the government is trying to ignite violence by harassing the leaders of the protest.
Declan Ihekare of the Activist For Good Governance informed 365Daily at the panel that civil society bodies in the country will lead a protest against the federal government if it failed to unblock the accounts of the protesters.
He said the accounts of policemen accused of brutalising Nigerians, rather than EndSARS protesters’ should have been blocked, adding that the federal government has inflicted another serious injury on the psyche of Nigerians when it was supposed to be healing wounds for the country to move forward.