#EndSARS: Panel divided over Lekki toll plaza reopening
Three months after, the Lekki toll gate shooting led to the closure of the toll plaza, the Lagos state Judicial Panel of Inquiry has returned the control of the Lekki toll plaza to the concessionaire, the Lekki Concession Company (LCC), and okayed it’s reopening.
This development was however greeted with drama when the Chairman of the panel, Justice Doris Okuwobi, delivered the ruling after listening to arguments for and against the application made by Demola Seriki, counsel to the LCC Ltd, for the re-opening of the facility.
Seriki, in his arguments, said: “My humble request is that if the tribunal doesn’t have further need to visit the plaza, the LCC should be permitted to take back possession of the toll plaza for the purpose of evaluation of the damage and commence the process of carrying out necessary repairs”
Immediately after the panel ruling in his favour, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa walked in with the other three members of the panel, Patience Udoh (representing civil society), Rinuola Oduola and Temitope Majekodunmi (representing the youths) who were absent before the ruling walked in and then delivered dissenting decisions stating they were not in support of the reopening of the Lekki toll plaza.
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LCC, through its counsel, Rotimi Seriki, had earlier prayed the panel to allow it to take over the plaza for repair and insurance claims since December 2020.
The other four members who sat with Justice Okuwobi are Segun Awosanya (popularly known as Segalink), Oluwatoyin Odusanya (Director, Citizens Right), DIG Taiwo Lakanu (representing the police) and Lucas Koyejo (from the National Human Rights Commission).