Ibeju-Lekki crisis panel begins sitting Monday

Henry Ojelu

The five man tribunal set up by governor Akinwunmi Ambode to investigate the civil unrest that occured in Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos State on October 12, 2015 will hold its inaugural sitting on Monday.

The Managing Director of Lekki Worldwide Investment Limited, Alhaji Tajudeen Disu was reportedly killed while resolving a land dispute between members of Okunraye Community and some private companies involved in various projects within the Lekki Free Trade Zone (LFTZ)‎.

Disu, a policeman and two others were reportedly killed by irate villagers, who were protesting against what they called “forceful takeover” of their land during the civil disturbance.

Informed sources said  that the inaugural public hearing of the tribunal, will hold at the Law Reform Commission, along Oba Akinjobi Way, GRA Ikeja.

The Tribunal has retired Lagos State High Court Judge, Justice Adesuyi Olateru-Olagbegi as Chairman, while other members are a senior lawyer, Otunba Tunde Seriki; a property developer, Otunba Yemi Lawal; former Surveyor General of the Federation, Surv. Fuad Kassim, and a former member of House of Representatives representing Badagry, Hon. (Mrs) Rafeequ‎at Onabamiro.

A Chief State Counsel in the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Mr. Adebayo Haroun is to serve as the Secretary of the Tribunal.

According to its terms of reference, the Tribunal is expected “to find the remote causes of the disturbance; to inquire into all incidental matters that might have led to the event; to collect memoranda from individuals stakeholders from various communities and all interested members of the public on the issue; to invite members of the public, stakeholders and all interested members of the public to give evidence leading to the disturbance; to proffer solutions to forestall the re-occurrence of such event in future; and finally, to make necessary recommendations to the government based on the findings of the Tribunal.”

Lagos Attorney General, Adeniji Kazeem said that the tribunal has 45 days to submit its report, and that further days might be added if need be but subject to the approval of the Governor.

Kazeem said the tribunnal was set up in exercise of the powers conferred on the Governor by Section 1 of the Tribunal of Inquiry Law, Laws of Lagos State, 2003.