Lagos State Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat on Sunday declined to disclose what he personally knew about security decisions taken on October 20, 2020, during a debate event tagged #LagosDebate.
Asked directly about his personal knowledge of the security arrangements on that day — the date of the Lekki tollgate shootings during the EndSARS protests — Hamzat described October 20, 2020 as “a very sad day in Lagos. Very sad,” but stopped short of providing specifics.
“I will not stand here to say I’m not the deputy governor. I was in the room,” he said. “Remember Lagos set up a judicial commission, funded and independent, to find the truth. They did their report. Lagos also did a white paper, implementing a lot of those decisions. We believe people have the right to protest.”
His response pointed to the judicial panel of inquiry and the state government’s white paper rather than offering a personal account of the security decisions made that day. The deputy governor did not elaborate on what those decisions were, who made them, or what he knew at the time.
The exchange is likely to renew questions about accountability for the events of October 20, 2020, when security forces opened fire on protesters at the Lekki tollgate. The Lagos State Government has consistently referred to the judicial commission’s findings and the white paper as the official record.
Hamzat’s emphasis on the right to protest, while declining to address the specific question, underscored the delicate balance the state government faces in addressing the legacy of that day.