LAGOS STATE INAUGURATES TRIBUNAL OF ENQUIRY INTO MOCPED STUDENTS’ RIOT The Lagos State Government has inaugurated a Tribunal of Enquiry into the June 17th 2013 Students’ riot at Micheal Otedola College of Primary Education Noforija, Epe. The Lagos Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ade Ipaye said that preliminary investigations into the students’ riot revealed that the violence erupted following non-admittance of students owing school fees into the examination hall for the first semester examinations. He noted that the office of the Special Adviser on Education formally reported the case to the Governor of Lagos State and directed that the matter should be investigated with a view to forestalling a re-occurrence. According to Ipaye, “Under Section 1(1) of the Tribunal of Inquiry Law, Cap. T6, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2003, the Governor may, whenever he deems it desirable, constitute one or more persons by instrument under his hand a Tribunal with authority to inquire into any matter in respect of which in his opinion an inquiry would be for the public welfare. The Governor may by the same instrument or by an order appoint a Secretary to the Tribunal who shall perform such duties as the members shall prescribe”. “In view of the foregoing, His Excellency approved that a Tribunal of Inquiry be constituted to unravel the circumstances leading to the violence and come up with recommendations to address the issues raised and forestall future occurrence”, he added. The five man committee is headed by a former Commissioner for Education in the State, Prof. Idowu Shobowale, while other members of the committee include Prof. Funke Lawal, Dr. Moshood Babatunde Lawal, Mr. Tajudeen Olatunji Oshikoya and Mr. Ayodeji Adebayo Adenekan. Mr. SulaimonAjayi, a Director in the Ministry of Education is to serve as the secretary. This term of reference is to (i) Inquire into the causes of the students’ riot which occured on 17th June, 2013 at the MichealOtedola College of Primary Education, Noforija, Epe; (ii) Determine the immediate and remote causes of the riot and any other contributory factors; (iii) Assess the roles and the degree of culpability of staff, students, police and others who may have contributed to the incident; (iv) Evaluate the extent of damage and casualties caused by the riot; (v) Recommend appropriate penalties or surcharge if any, to be imposed on the students for the damages caused; (vi) Examine the internal control system of the management of the College vis a vis its general mode of operation; (vii) Examine any other matter which may be incidental to any of the terms of reference stated above; and (viii) Make other recommendations as may be considered necessary to guide against students’ riot in the State The Attorney General said the Tribunal is to submit its report within three months commencing from the date of its first sitting. Earlier in her remarks the Commissioner for Education Mrs. Olayinka Oladujoye said the wanton destruction at MOCPED was monumental and no doubt, inimical to the realization of the set goals of the College. ‘It should be realized that public funds that will now be committed to the repair or replacement of the damaged and vandalized properties could have been utilized for other beneficial projects’, she added. She noted that this behaviour is not acceptable to the State Government and the present administration is determined to unravel the immediate and remote causes of the mayhem. Responding on behalf of the Tribunal, Prof Idowu Shobowale thanked the State Government for the opportunity given the members to serve the people of Lagos State in that capacity and pledged that the Tribunal would diligently carry out its assignment within the time frame allotted to it.
Posted on: Mon, 09 Sep 2013 13:15:22 +0000
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