The Lagos State Government has decided to postpone the scheduled mass burial of the 103 bodies discovered in the aftermath of the October 2020 #EndSARS protest.
In an exclusive conversation with Punch on Monday, October 9, 2023, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso, the Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, confirmed the suspension of the planned mass burial. The decision came in response to the controversy stirred by the announcement made in July.
Previously undisclosed, a leaked memo exposed the state government’s endorsement of N61,285,000 for the mass burial of the 103 bodies recognized as victims of the #EndSARS protests.
Shared on social media, a memo titled ‘Letter of No Objection: Mass Burial for the 103 EndSARS Victims of 2020,’ dated July 19, 2023, has caused widespread outrage among Nigerians, human rights activists, and civil society organizations.
Both Amnesty International, a prominent human rights organization, and the Coalition of #EndSARS Protesters and Supporters have called for the state government to halt the proposed mass burial.
Amnesty International additionally urged the government to conduct transparent coroner inquiries and autopsies on the 103 #EndSARS victims.
In response to the situation, the state government, represented by Mr. Gboyega Akosile, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, exclusively informed the publication that they are committed to adhering to international standards and best practices during the mass burial process.
Omotoso also said, “It is to allow more time for identification as suggested when it was disclosed that the government was planning a mass burial for them.”
He further mentioned that the scheduled burial will take place ‘soon,’ but due to the controversies at that time, it was put on hold. People now have the time and sufficient opportunity to.