The Lagos State Judicial Panel Of Inquiry set up to address the issue of police brutality has been suspended over the freezing of the bank account of one of the youth representatives by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
It was reported that the CBN had obtained a court order to freeze the bank account of Bolatito Rachael Oduala alongside 19 others over their role during the #ENDSARS protest.
Oduala, who is also on the Lagos panel as a youth representative, withdrew from the panel sitting today in protest of the move by the CBN.
Her action forced the panel to adjourn sitting for a week.
Chairperson of the panel, Justice Doris Okuwobi (retired) announced that the panel will reconvene on the 14th of November after major consultation with stakeholders.
Justice Okuwobi said, “We are confronted with a situation which prevented her (Oduala) from coming. We do not know if the two youths’ representatives will eventually pull out.
“We don’t want a situation where proceedings would go on and later it is impugned with controversy for lack of quorum.”
Justice Okuwobi stressed that it was important for all the sittings of the panel to be held in accordance with the law.
“In all matters, we have to wait for them (youths representatives) to join us. Without them, we are handicapped,” she said.
The panel had scheduled Saturday to take the testimony of the Nigerian Army on the October 20 shootings by soldiers at the Lekki toll gate in Lagos.
A military person had already taken the witness stand when Justice Okuwobi announced that the sitting could not proceed.
