THE Lagos State Judicial panel of inquiry has suspended its sitting over the withdrawal of two ENDSARS campaigners and members of the panel, Bolatito Olorunrinu and Temitope Majekodunmi whose bank accounts were frozen by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
On Saturday morning, the panel led by a retired judge, Dorris Okuwobi announced that the panel could not form a quorum due to their withdrawal.
Okuwobi said Olorunrinu “was destabilised by the incident” hence her withdrawal from the panel.
Consequently, Okuwobi suspended the panel sitting until November 14.
The Bank accounts of the two panel members and 18 other front runners of the ENDSARS campaigners protesting an end to police brutality in Nigeria was frozen following a court order filed by Godwin Emefiele, the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Victims of the frozen bank accounts include Bolatito Racheal Oduala, Chima David Ibebunjoh, Mary Doose Kpengwa, Saadat Temitope Bibi, Bassey Victor Israel, Wisdom Busaosowo Obi, Nicholas Ikhalea Osazele, Ebere Idibie, Akintomide Lanre Yusuf, Uhuo Ezenwanyi Promise and Mosopefoluwa Odeseye.
Others are Adegoke Pamilerin Yusif Umoh Grace Ekanem, Babatunde Victor Segun, Mulu Louis Teghenan, Mary Oshifowora, Winifred Akpevweoghene Jacob, Victor Solomon, Idunu A. Williams, and Gatefield Nigeria Limited.
In the court order seen by The ICIR, Ahmed Muhammed, the judge who granted the order ruled that the suspension of the accounts is for 90 days which could be renewed ‘upon good cause shown by the applicant’.
The Lagos state government had set up the panel to investigate police brutality and Lekki shooting of peaceful ENDSARS protesters on Tuesday, October 20.
The Nigeria Immigration had also seized the international passport of Modupe Odele who offered free legal service to detained ENDSARS protesters.
Odele said her passport was seized at the Muritala Muhammed International Airport when she was about to leave the country for the Maldives.
Lukman Abolade is an Investigative reporter with The ICIR. Reach out to him via [email protected], on twitter @AboladeLAA and FB @Correction94