The Lagos State Government has decided to suspend its previously planned mass burial for the 103 corpses recovered following the October 2020 #EndSARS protest.
This decision to suspend the mass burial comes after significant controversy arose following the announcement of the plan back in July. In a leaked memo dated July 19, 2023, the state government had initially announced its intention to conduct a mass burial for the 103 recovered corpses, which had sparked objections from human rights activists and civil society organizations.
Amnesty International and the Coalition of #EndSARS Protesters and Supporters had both called for the suspension of the mass burial. Amnesty International also urged the government to conduct transparent coroner inquests and autopsies on the 103 #EndSARS victims.
Responding to these concerns, the state government, through the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Mr. Gboyega Akosile, pledged to adhere to global best practices in handling the mass burial.
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As of now, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy has confirmed that the planned mass burial remains suspended. This decision is intended to provide people with more time to identify their relatives among the recovered corpses, as suggested during the initial announcement. Omotoso explained that despite the passage of time, nobody has come forward to identify any of the corpses, but the government has opted to grant additional time for this purpose.
While the burial is still on hold, it is expected to proceed in the near future, allowing people ample opportunity to ascertain if their relatives are among the recovered bodies.
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