Suspend mass burial of 103, allow citizens a month to identify loved ones, Coalition of #EndSARS tell Sanwo-Olu

The Coalition of #EndSARS Protestors has requested that Governor Sanwo-Olu-led government provide residents with a one-month notice so that they can examine the bodies of the 103 #EndSARS protesters who are set for mass burial.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Rinu Oduala, one of the protest’s leaders, urged the Lagos government to halt plans for a mass burial for the 103 protesters killed at the Lekki tollgate and instead focus on implementing the recommendations of the Judicial panel formed by the state government in the aftermath of the protest.

The request was made so that families whose loved ones went missing during the #EndSARS protest and have yet to be located may check to see if their loved ones were among those slated for the mass burial.

“The Coalition of #EndSARS Protesters and Supporters, national and globally are horrified by the planned mass burial of 103 protesters and civilians who tragically lost their lives in October 2020,” the statement read.

The coalition asked the governor Sanwo-Olu-led government to “1. Suspend the planned mass burial of 103 bodies in TOS Funeral Services immediately.

“2. Implement the recommendations of the Judicial Panel of Inquiry’s White Paper.

“3. Establish a one-month notice for citizens to access the 103 bodies, in the hopes of identifying their loved ones.

“4. Conduct a DNA mapping of all 103 bodies using a reputable private organisation. 5. Pay compensation and provide therapy for the trauma they have caused families over the last 3 years.”

The request followed a leaked memo addressed to the Lagos State Ministry of Health that indicated that the State Government approved N61,285,000 for the mass burial of 103 persons identified as 2020 EndSARS victims has gone viral on social media, sparking outrage.

The memo dated July 19, 2023, captures steps for the processing of funds after approval by the governor.