The Lagos State Government has officially announced the suspension of its planned mass burial for the 103 corpses recovered in the aftermath of the October 2020 #EndSARS protest.
The decision to halt the controversial mass burial was disclosed by the Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso, during a press conference on Monday.
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This development comes after a leaked memo dated July 19, 2023, had initially revealed the government’s intention to proceed with the mass burial, causing widespread outcry and condemnation from human rights activists, civil society organizations, and the international community.
Prominent human rights group, Amnesty International, and the Coalition of #EndSARS Protesters and Supporters, were at the forefront of demanding the suspension of the mass burial. Amnesty International went further to call for transparent coroner inquests and autopsies to be conducted on the 103 #EndSARS victims.
In response to these demands, the Lagos State Government, represented by Chief Press Secretary Mr. Gboyega Akosile, pledged to adhere to “global best practices” in the handling of the mass burial.
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On Monday, when questioned for the latest information regarding the matter, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy provided the following statement regarding the scheduled mass burial
“remains suspended to give people ample time to identify their relatives that may be among the corpses.”
“It is to allow more time for identification as suggested when it was disclosed that the government was planning a mass burial for them,” Omotoso said.
He stated further that
“up till now, nobody has shown up to identify any of the corpses. But the government has decided to give people more time.”
Furthermore, he stated that the intended burial would
“be carried out soon, but because of the controversies around that time, it was suspended. People now have the time and ample opportunity to see if their relatives are there.”
