Legal Action Threatened by EndSARS Coordinator

Serah Ibrahim, a key figure in the October 2020 #EndSARS demonstrations against police violence and the now-disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad, has announced plans to pursue legal action against Princess Banke Oniru. This comes after Oniru alleged that Ibrahim and fellow protest leaders repeatedly mishandled millions of naira.

In late 2020, Nigerians gathered nationwide to demand the abolishment of SARS, known for its role in extrajudicial killings, extortion, and torture.

The protests met a tragic end when unarmed demonstrators were attacked by soldiers and police at the Lekki Tollgate in Lagos State. The government has denied involvement in this violence against peaceful protesters.

Amid ongoing controversies regarding the fundraising efforts during the protests, the Feminist Coalition (FEMCO) has been under scrutiny for their financial transparency. On September 29, Oniru shared claims about how government funds were distributed among leaders of the protests.

Oniru, using the handle @HRH_bankeoniru, stated, “After the EndSARS protests, there was resistance regarding the initial funds offered by the Lagos state government.”

“I was contacted by Sarah and others to consult with Mr. Femi Falana about the proposed funding. Despite his advice to accept the money as a gift, I found it inappropriate to accept compensation from our adversaries, fearing it would compromise our mission.”

Oniru continued, “I have evidence showing that I was asked to collect various sums of money, which I then documented and shared with public platforms as giveaways.”

Oniru claimed, “Adeshina Ademola Ogunlana was the sole lawyer who genuinely supported the EndSARS cause. Mr. Falana, however, has repeatedly failed us.”

Following up on September 30, Oniru tweeted again, discussing her participation in protests with several vehicles and mentioning the personal sacrifices she made for her activism.

In response, on October 2, Ibrahim issued a letter to Oniru asserting her intent to sue for the damaging allegations. She stated, “We will both meet in court, and I will definitely sue you for the falsehoods you’ve spread.”

Ibrahim challenged Oniru’s credibility, suggesting that her ties to the state government were an attempt to undermine the EndSARS movement, while revealing her own experience of not receiving any funds during the protests.

She recounted her interactions with the Lagos State Government and expressed her disapproval of any financial offers made to her after the events of the protests, emphasizing that the money should have been allocated fairly to the families of victims.

Ibrahim highlighted the legal support received from notable lawyers during the inquiry, asserting that proper representation was critical to addressing the needs of the victims, and she expressed her disappointment with the attempts to orchestrate personal gain under the guise of activism.

Discussion on Compensation for Lekki Toll Gate Victims

During discussions with legal counsel, Mr. Femi Falana suggested engaging with Commissioner Omotoso, asserting that doing so could imply acknowledgment by the Lagos State Government of the Lekki Toll Gate incident, a claim they have previously dismissed despite contrary findings from their inquiry panel. He emphasized the necessity of presenting the offer to the actual victims to allow them to make informed choices rather than deciding on their behalf.

He further recommended keeping detailed records of the compensation’s origin—whether it was from the government or Governor Sanwo-Olu’s personal funds—and ensuring funds were deposited directly into the victims’ bank accounts.

Oniru shared, “I consulted with other coordinators and directly with the victims instead of dealing exclusively with Commissioner Omotoso. I facilitated a meeting where he could speak directly with available victims.” The first of these meetings occurred on May 14, 2022, at Demeros Hotel & Suites, where a list of beneficiaries was to be compiled for Commissioner Omotoso.

Before sending this list, Oniru communicated via WhatsApp on June 22, 2022, to clarify the source of funds, noting that she intended to inform victims that this was not compensation, but a personal assistance offer from the Governor. It was then that Omotoso revealed that the funds were being released in segments, reportedly sourced from Governor Sanwo-Olu.

Omotoso communicated via WhatsApp: “I currently have N50m, and another N50m is expected. The allocation will depend on your recommendations.” Repeatedly, Oniru insisted on gathering the victims’ opinions regarding the assistance before taking any action.

After collating their feedback, Oniru sent the finalized list of beneficiaries and their respective share amounts to Omotoso on July 1, 2022. The next day, a follow-up meeting took place at the same hotel with the available beneficiaries. This meeting’s proceedings were recorded by Omotoso and are detailed in a memo submitted by Oniru to fellow EndSARS activists and court coordinators. The memo’s authenticity can be verified by Omotoso’s audio-visual recording.

Regarding the documented meeting, Oniru recounted that upon arrival, she provided the Commissioner with a letter addressing the assistance offer. She noticed a camera present and questioned the rationale behind the Governor’s equipment use, while they had asked attendees to refrain from media involvement. Omotoso clarified that the recording was for accountability regarding fund management.

As per the memo, the meeting concluded with an agreement on distributing a total of NGN48,000,000 among the victims, with NGN2,000,000 earmarked for the victims’ legal teams as gratitude for their support. Oniru continued, stating that the subsequent N50m, claimed to be from the Governor’s personal funds, followed the same allocation structure as the first batch, confirming that each beneficiary received NGN1,000,000 in both distributions.

Oniru confronted Princess Banke Oniru’s claims about receiving N2,500,000, suggesting it stemmed from misunderstandings regarding her demands for greater allocations, despite her efforts to ensure that more funds were directed towards the primary victims, especially the bereaved families.

Oniru urged Commissioner Omotoso to clarify whether he had received more than the N100 million he acknowledged distributing and to confirm whether she was among the beneficiaries or if the distribution matched the documented allocations provided in her correspondence.