Ambode Inaugurates Tribunal of Enquiry into Murder of Adenuga’s In-law

Declares zero tolerance for breakdown of law and order

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, yesterday inaugurated a five-man Tribunal of Enquiry to investigate the gruesome murder of the Managing Director of Lekki Worldwide Investment Limited, Mr. Tajudeen Disu.

Disu, an in-law of Chairman of Globacom Limited (GLO), Dr. Mike Adenuga, was gruesomely murdered on October 12 while resolving land dispute between some indigenes of Okunraye Community and some private companies which planned to embark on various projects within Lekki Free Trade Zone (LFTZ).

The governor inaugurated the tribunal at Lagos House, Alausa, alongside the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Olatunji Bello and the state’s Attorney and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Kazeem Adeniji, among others, declaring zero tolerance to breakdown of law and order in the state.

He reeled out the names of members of the tribunal to include a retired judge of Lagos State High Court and Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Adesuyi Olateru-Olagbegi, a legal practitioner, Mr. Tunde Seriki, a property developer, Otunba Yemi Lawal, property developer; former Surveyor General of the Federation, Mr. Fuad Kassim and former federal legislator, Hon. Rafeequat Onabamiro.

At the inauguration, the governor said as a responsive and responsible government, it had become necessary for his administration to set up a tribunal to investigate the remote cause of the unrest with the view to forestalling future re-occurrence.

He said the unrest, if not properly managed and addressed, could lead to total breakdown of law and order, adding that the government was desirous of protecting the lives and property of the citizens.

The governor added that as a responsible government determined to enforce the rule of law, it is his duty to take firm and purposeful steps to inquire into the origin, factors and circumstances leading to the disturbances at the LFTZ in order to forestall a re-occurrence.

“At a time when this government is attracting a lot of foreign direct investments and opening up the economy of our State, we cannot afford to have such disturbances. We will not tolerate any violent acts which disturb the security of lives and property in the state.

“Having sought advice from the attorney-general, a tribunal of inquiry has been constituted to investigate the remote and immediate causes of this incident and other recommendations therein,” Ambode stressed.

Also speaking, Adeniji said it was necessary “to constitute a panel of enquiry to investigate the unrest in exercise of the powers conferred on the governor by Section 1 of the Tribunal of Inquiry Law, Laws of Lagos State, 2003 and considering the recent civil disturbances at the LFTZ.”

The attorney-general disclosed that the tribunal has 45 days to submit its report, and that further days might be added subject to the approval of the governor, stating the tribunal’s terms of reference include finding the remote causes of the disturbance and inquiring into all incidental matters that might have led to the event.

He added that the tribunal would also collect memoranda from individuals stakeholders from various communities and all interested members of the public on the issue; invite members of the public, stakeholders and all interested members of the public to give evidence leading to the disturbance; proffer solutions to forestall the re-occurrence of such event in future and make necessary recommendations to the government based on the findings of the tribunal.