LAGOS – The African Action Con­gress (AAC) has taken the Lagos State gov­ernment to task over a leaked memo concerning the alleged plan by the government to bury several victims of the #ENDSARS protests, suspected to have been killed by security forces.

The party, in a statement signed by Osatohamhen Ebho­hon, the party’s State Public Rela­tions Officer (PRO), condemned in the strongest terms the actions of the Lagos State government and its complicit actors in the heinous #EndSARS Lekki mas­sacre.

The AAC stated: “Recent rev­elations of a leaked mass burial memo which was authenticated by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Dr Oluse­gun Ogboye, have reaffirmed what the masses already knew – the tragic events that unfolded during the #EndSARS protests were characterised by gross hu­man rights violations, state-spon­sored violence, homicide and a cover-up of the truth.

“The leaked memo, which is now the most talked-about topic in both the Nigeria legacy news media and social media space, exposes the Lagos State govern­ment’s role in contracting a pri­vate firm, Messrs Tos Funeral Ltd, to bury 103 bodies of End­SARS victims.

“The cost of this mass burial amounted to N61,285,000. This revelation raises serious ques­tions about the government’s ac­countability for the killings and its efforts to suppress the truth from the public.

“In any just society, those responsible for such atrocities, including ex-President Buhari, Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, General Omata of the Nigerian Army, and CSP Raji of Maroko police station, would be facing the full wrath of the law.

“However, it is disheartening to witness the attempt to cover up the #EndSARS massacre. The African Action Congress party is deeply disturbed that the Lagos State government, led by Sanwo-Olu, has yet to take responsibility for the killing of law-abiding citizens, even with the damning report of the Jus­tice Doris Okwuobi panel, which found the Lagos state govern­ment culpable.

“The evidence presented during the panel’s proceedings, including the confession of the head of Nigerian military intelli­gence, Brigadier General Ahmed Taiwo, and the testimony of the Chief Pathologist at LASUTH, John Obafunwa, clearly impli­cates the Lagos State government in the gruesome act.

“Despite these, and the ample video evidence available online and numerous brave eyewitness­es who have provided crucial testimonies that depict security forces engaging in violent ac­tions, including the gruesome murder of peaceful #EndSars protesters, on October 20, 21 to 24, 2020, the Lagos government through the Permanent Secre­tary of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye, continued to deny its involvement and ma­nipulates the narrative, falsely at­tributing the deaths to communi­ty clashes that resulted from the #EndSars protest.

“We must not be fooled by these deceptive tactics. The peo­ple of Lagos and all well-meaning citizens must unite and hold our killers and their accomplices ac­countable.

“It is unacceptable that more than 34 innocent citizens charged with crimes they did not commit are languishing in prison with­out any incriminating evidence.

“We demand justice for all vic­tims of the #EndSARS protests and the immediate release of all detainees.”

The AAC stressed that the Justice Doris Okwuobi panel had rightly recommended compensa­tion for all victims and the uncon­ditional release of all #EndSARS detainees.

It called on Governor Baba­jide Sanwo-Olu to adhere to the paanel’s recommendations and take decisive action in ensuring justice is served.

It maintained that failure of the government to do so would provoke mass resistance from the people, who I said, would not tolerate the mockery of the vic­tims and the continued denial of their rights.

It added: “The African Ac­tion Congress (AAC) party stands with the people of La­gos and Nigeria in demanding accountability, justice, and an end to state-sponsored violence. We urge everyone to join us in this call for action and make our voices heard until justice is served.

The AAC also released a list of 34 #ENDSARS protesters it had been aware of still being kept in detention. These included Ogidi Joseph, Marcus Joseph, Joseph Oyebowale, Muyiwa Onikoyi, Taiwo Fagbemi, Jamiu Sani and Segun Adeniji,

Others, according to it, are Ibrahim Adesanya, Daniel Joyibo, Dare Williams, Sunday Okoro, Adigun Sodiq, Yusuf Rafiu, Shehu Anas, Yakubu Olay­iwola. Ismail Muftao, and Bethel Chukwuocha.

Also still being detained are OnuoraOdih, Jeremiah Lucky, Gideon Ikwujoma, Haruna Adekunjo, IrinyemiOluwanbe, Joshua Adeleke, Kabiru Ajetun­mobi, and Moses Ofoke.

Among the list of the #END­SARS detainees are Quadri Azeez, Idris Lawal, Charles Godstine Adele, Akeem Azeez, SodiqRiliwan, Olamide Lekan, Olumide Fatai, and Oluwole Yisa.”