UK PM, Duddridge Telephones Sanwo-Olu Over Suspended Lagos #EndSARS Panel 

James Duddridge, a Minister for Africa at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) in the United Kingdom, on Wednesday, says government must allow the Lagos #EndSARS judicial panel have unhindered sessions.

Duddrige spoke after he had a telephone conversation with Lagos State Governor Sanwo-Olu over the state’s suspended #EndSARS judicial panel.

James, first appointed as a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development on 13 February 2020, has been monitoring events since a UK parliamentary petition is before the General Assembly.

The lawmaker who was elected Conservative MP for Rochford and Southend East in May 2005,in a tweet on his twitter handle Thursday’s night, said, “I had my first call with Lagos Governor @jidesanwoolu today. We agree on the importance of @LagosSarsPanel receiving full authority & cooperation to investigate incidents, including at #Lekki + greater UK-Lagos cooperation on infrastructure, tech & green finance”.

I had my first call with Lagos Governor @jidesanwoolu today. We agree on the importance of @LagosSarsPanel receiving full authority & cooperation to investigate incidents, including at #Lekki + greater UK-Lagos cooperation on infrastructure, tech & green finance.

— James Duddridge MP (@JamesDuddridge) November 11, 2020

BIGPEN recalls a recent report by Amnesty International Nigeria which conducted an on-the-ground investigation, says they found that at least 12 people were killed by the Nigerian Army and police in two locations in Lagos on Tuesday evening. Amnesty called the shootings “extrajudicial executions”.

In response to the killings, a concerned Nigerian, Silas Ojo had initiated a UK parliamentary petition to impose sanctions on the Nigerian government and its officials.

The petition, according to BIGPEN report has reached 219,233 signatures as of Wednesday night.

In response to the petition, the UK Government and Parliament, expressed concerned over the violence during recent protests, saying its await the outcome of Nigerian investigations into reports of police brutality.

While saying that it is waiting for 22 days for a debate on the petition, the parliament, in a statement said “We do not publicly speculate on future sanctions designations”.

Silas Ojo said they are pushing for the sanction to provide accountability for and be a deterrent to anyone involved in violations of human rights.

“The Government should explore using the new sanctions regime that allows individuals and entities that violate human rights around the world to be targeted, to impose sanctions on members of the Nigerian government and police force involved in any human rights abuses by the Nigerian police.

“There have been deeply concerning reports of a Nigerian police force unit (SARS) engaging in illegal activities and human rights abuses, and there have also been reports of police firing at protestors calling for SARS to be disbanded”, the petitioner had said.

But sources say sanctions on the Nigerian state would hurt the poorest and most disadvantaged people, rather than those in power. Nigerians at home and abroad are instead calling for targeted sanctions on public officials and their families. Removing visas, banning them from entering European countries, blocking them from hiding their money in places like the UK, and stopping them from making their annual health check-up trips to Europe would hit them where it hurts most, a report in UK Independent said.

The Lagos Judicial Panel of Inquiry suspended its sitting following the withdrawal of two youth representatives from the panel. Their withdrawal, it was learnt came at backdrop of the freezing of Miss Olorunrinu’s account and 19 others for their participation in the #EndSARS protest.

BIGPEN had earlier reported that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had obtained a court judgement to freeze the accounts of 19 individuals and a corporate organisation for their active participation in the #EndSARS protest, a campaign against police brutality and extrajudicial killings.