ETI-OSA BAR FORUM
Christopher Segun Courthouse,
Addo-Badore Road,
Ajah,
Lagos State.
IKOYI BUILDING COLLAPSE SITUATION ROOM BULLETIN NO. 3 (SPECIAL SITUATION REPORT OF DAY 4 OF SITTING OF PANEL OF INQUIRY INTO THE IKOYI BUILDING COLLAPSE BY AYO ADEMILUYI ESQ., COORDINATOR, IKOYI BUILDING COLLAPSE, SITUATION ROOM.)
WE DEMAND OPENING OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE PANEL OF INQUIRY INTO THE IKOYI BUILDING COLLAPSE TO THE PUBLIC AND THE PRESS.
On the 9th day of November, 2021, my humble self, Ayo Ademiluyi Esq., the Secretary of the Eti-Osa Bar Forum and Coordinator of the IKOYI BUILDING COLLAPSE SITUATION ROOM of the Eti-Osa Bar Forum visited the venue of the Panel of Inquiry into the IKOYI BUILDING COLLAPSE sitting at the Lagos State Waterways Authority Headquarters, Falomo, Ikoyi.
The Panel Venue had a tag "MEETING IN PROGRESS" and had its doors shut. Upon inquiries from a man, who refused to reveal his name, who came to attend to me, he informed me that the Panel's proceedings will be made public soon and that the Panel will communicate when it will be to the public. Upon further asking him that given the 30 days' period within which the Panel is to conduct its activities, whether the Panel will still have sufficient time to conduct public proceedings, the man could not offer a coherent answer.
Many Pressmen have reported to our Situation Room that they were not allowed access to the Proceedings of the Panel.
According to media sources, the Commissioner for Information in Lagos State, Mr. Omotosho in his explanation as to why journalists are barred from the Proceedings of the Panel has stated that the Panel has been made private to allow the members to concentrate fully on their assignments.
The Lagos state commissioner for information, Gbenga Omotoso, has given reasons the media were barred from the panel of inquiry set up to investigate the cause of the collapse of the 21-storey building in the Ikoyi area of the state to allow the members to concentrate fully on their assignments.
He was quoted to have stated that the Proceedings of the Panel is a "very serious session". In his words, he was reported to have said that "It is a very serious session that they are having. And you can see that where they are sitting is not a very big hall”, he said.
“There are so many things that they may want to take in camera, so that people would not come there and begin to disturb them, they need full concentration. And you know when media people are there, it is like a crowd... And they have just started the inquiry, so the panel has the duty to say how it wants to conduct its business”, the commissioner said.
“The government has given them the power to do whatever they like, to summon anybody, if you want to go and say what you have seen, you are free to go there, it is not a secret place, no.”
We are of the firm view that this position of Lagos State Government is untenable. We call for opening up of the Proceedings of the Panel for the Public and the Press.
I also visited the scene of the incident of the Building collapse. I observed that there are evacuations going on.
According to a news medium, Premium Times in particular, the "Help Desks" of Lagos State Government which were at the site of the incident prior to today have disappeared.
We cannot verify or confirm the position as at the time of writing this report. However, where it is found to be correct and in addition to the secrecy of the nature of the Proceedings, we will be left with no choice than to proceed in public interest to a court of competent jurisdiction jointly and severally against the civil, corporate and criminal liabilities of Lagos State Government, Fourscore Limited, Lagos State Building Control Agency and Lagos State Physical Planning Agency and such other persons will find culpable in this horrendous disaster.
AYO ADEMILUYI ESQ.
FOR IKOYI BUILDING COLLAPSE SITUATION ROOM,
Hotlines of our Situation Room are still open:
+234 909 793 3015,
+234 813 820 3010,
+234 803 393 1229.
OLADOTUN HASSAN ESQ.
Chairman, Eti-Osa Bar Forum.
AYO ADEMILUYI ESQ.,
Secretary, Eti-Osa Bar Forum and Coordinator, IKOYI BUILDING COLLAPSE SITUATION ROOM.
ANDREW PHILIP BETHEL ESQ.,
Chairman, Young Lawyers' Forum, Eti-Osa Bar Forum and Deputy Coordinator, IKOYI BUILDING COLLAPSE SITUATION ROOM.
Bulletin No. 2:
https://mattersofthenigerianbar.blogspot.com/2021/11/ikoyi-building-collapse-legal-aid_8.html
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