The Lagos State Government has approved mass burial for 103 corpses recovered in the wake of the October 2020 #EndSARS protests, demanding the disbandment of the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad.
The government, however, stressed that the 103 corpses were not recovered from the Lekki tollgate.
You will recall that the nationwide #EndSARS protest occasioned violence with loss of lives in Lagos, which was the epicentre of the protest.
Of note was the alleged killing of protesters at the Lekki Tollgate by soldiers on the night of October 20, 2020, with the state setting up a commission of inquiry to probe the allegation.
In a statement on Sunday, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye, confirmed the authenticity of a leaked letter indicating planned mass burial for 103 corpses.
The letter, dated July 19, 2023, emanated from the Lagos State Public Procurement Agency and was addressed to the Ministry of Health.
The letter, signed by the Director-General of the Lagos State Public Procurement Agency, Mr. Onafowote Idowu, revealed the approval of the sum of N61,285,000 for the mass burial.
However, in the follow-up statement, the Ministry of Health said the corpses for mass burial were not recovered from the Lekki Tollgate.
In his statement, the Perm Sec, Ministry of Health, explained that the Lagos State Environmental Health Unit picked up bodies in the aftermath of #EndSARS violence and community clashes at Fagba, Ketu, Ikorodu, Orile, Ajegunle, Abule-Egba, Ikeja, Ojota, Ekoro, Ogba, Isolo and Ajah areas of Lagos State.
He also explained that there was a jailbreak at Ikoyi Prison and some casualties mentioned in the document were from these incidents and not from the Lekki Tollgate as alleged.
He stated emphatically that for the avoidance of doubt, no body was retrieved from the Lekki Tollgate incident.
He said contrary to the narrative weaved around the recently approved mass burial, the #EndSARS panel subpoenaed the Lagos State Chief Pathologist to produce full records of unclaimed bodies of dead deposited with the state central morgue during the days immediately preceding and following the event at Lekki tollgate on October 20, 2020
