#EndSARS: Shutting Lekki Tollgate Not In The Spirit Of Justice – Segalink Gives Reason For Supporting Reopening

By Edna Wande On Feb 7, 2021

Human rights activist, Segun Awosanya, better known as Segalink has said it is not in the “spirit of justice” for Lekki tollgate gate to remain shut after the panel’s forensic team are done with their investigation at the site.

Segalink, who is a member of Lagos state judicial panel, said this while explaining his reason for voting for the reopening of Lekki tollgate, where many #EndSARS protesters were attacked by soldiers.

It would be recalled that on Saturday, Doris Okuwobi, a retired judge and chairperson of the panel, in her ruling, permitted Lekki Concession Company (LCC) to repossess the tollgate.

She noted that insurers can commence assessment of the damage at the facility, renovate and resume its business.

Five members of the panel including Segalink supported the ruling for the repossession of the Lekki tollgate.

However, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Patience Udoh, a lawyer and human rights activist, and two representatives of the youth, Rinuola Oduola and Temitope Majekodunmi said they were not a party to the panel’s decision to reopen the tollgate.

Nevertheless, Okuwobi went ahead to read the ruling. This sparked outrage on the social media, especially on the microblogging platform, Twitter, as some Nigerians criticised Segalink for supporting the ruling.

Some alleged that Segalink ‘works’ for the government and was ‘planted’ in the panel to be a tiebreaker, in favor of the government.

Reacting to the criticisms, the human rights activist, in a series of tweets on Sunday, gave reasons he supported the ruling.

He noted that it is not logical to shut down the Lekki toll gate, even as the army and the police are not shut down amid the ongoing investigation.

He expressed that since the panel’s forensic team have completed work at the site, there is no need to lock down the tollgate.

Segalink added that “those manipulating you presents you with someone to hate and you march on like zombies to throw tantrums”.

Read his full statement below;

It is futile making logical sense when emotions are running wild. Where in the world do you deploy sentiments & injustice to obtain justice? Is the panel an opinion panel or a judicial panel? Have you taken out time to read the ruling? Did this nullify the cases? Is this the end? https://t.co/GCdJ8BM7px

— SEGA L’éveilleur®🚨 (@segalink) February 7, 2021

Those manipulating you presents you with someone to hate and you march on like zombies to throw tantrums. How does granting access for assessment of damage & initiating repairs a vote against the people when the panel’s forensic team are done at the site? Why lock it down? pic.twitter.com/HjIKewG0wg

— SEGA L’éveilleur®🚨 (@segalink) February 7, 2021

How many scientists do you find staying perpetually by the microscope without leaving to work on his findings? Recall that people work in the establishment too? We all use that road. Imaging locking the whole road under claims of an ongoing investigation without the need to visit

— SEGA L’éveilleur®🚨 (@segalink) February 7, 2021

There are always other routes to ensure justice without becoming the demons we fight. We need not make life harder for others just to prove a point. Everyone is entitled to fairness, equity & presumption of innocence until proven guilty. Investigation is done, cases are ongoing.

— SEGA L’éveilleur®🚨 (@segalink) February 7, 2021

Imagine shutting down police and Army in the name of an ongoing investigation. This to me is not in the spirit of justice. Read the ruling and if it errs on the ground of Law, Justice and Equity then we can look into that. Thus, far there’s no such claim.

— SEGA L’éveilleur®🚨 (@segalink) February 7, 2021

Who will you call when armed robbers strikes after shutting down those instituted to curb this due to claims of investigation especially when it can work concurrently with their operation? Think deeply about those misleading you to think you have been betrayed. You’re being used.

— SEGA L’éveilleur®🚨 (@segalink) February 7, 2021

Think for a bit if we agreed with the obviously biased group seeking to use the panel to settle an old score with LCC, you don’t think LCC will appeal such decision and still take back their property having established that we no longer have anything to do there?

— SEGA L’éveilleur®🚨 (@segalink) February 7, 2021

Where does that leave the cases of alleged victim before the panel? Do you ever think any institution of state will ever appear or honor the summons of a tainted panel? Think while it is still legal. Justice must be fair to all. I have no personal interest in this.

— SEGA L’éveilleur®🚨 (@segalink) February 7, 2021