Lagos State government has finally confirmed that 103 persons were killed during the EndSars protests that rocked different parts of the state in 2020.
The death of the103 persons was confirmed when Lagos State gave approval for their mass burial at a cost N61.2 million.
The approval for mass burial was contained in a letter titled “No Objection ” and dated July 19, 2023 addressed to the Permanent Secretary in charge of the state’s Ministry of health.
This approval put paid to earlier claims by the Lagos State government, Nigerian Army and police that no one died in the protests.
Concerns for high casualty became rife when soldiers invaded Lekki, venue of the sustained protests and opened fire on harmless protesters.
All efforts to ascertain the number of those killed and injured as a result of the army’s action were frustrated by the Lagos State government under Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the leadership of the Nigeria Army through persistent denials and manipulations.
However, the letter , written by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and sent to the Lagos State Public Procurement Agency requesting for N61.2 million for the burial of the 103 victims of the Endsars protests has exposed all.
The Permanent Secretary in the letter dated July 13 said that the contract for the mass burial of the victims will be awarded to Messrs TOS Funerals Limited at a cost N61.2 million.
Onafowote Fatai Idowu , the Director -General of the Lagos State Public Procurement Agency in his reply via a letter dated July 19 gave the Ministry of health the go ahead to conduct mass burial for the 103 victims.
Onafowote , approval was contained in a letter titled ” No Objection” which he addressed to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health.
He stated clearly that there is “no objection” to the request to give the 103 victims a mass burial and award of N61.2 million contract to Messrs TOS Funerals Limited to carry out the burial for the victims.
Onafowote, however, insisted that the contractor follow the due process. (vitalnewsngr.com)
