Tribunal on BRT accident commences public hearing The three-man tribunal of enquiry on the July 4, accident involving the Bus Rapid Transit[BRT] and a soldier on a motorbike had it inaugural meeting and flagged off the public hearing. The Chairman of the tribunal Retired Justice Ebenezer Adebajo disclosed that the tribunal will take testimonies in public while assuring that report of the tribunal would be unbiased. He said the tribunal has been empowered by His Excellency, the Governor of Lagos State to hold public hearing, except where the Chairman is of the opinion that it is necessary in the public interest to exclude persons from the hearing or any part of the hearing. Justice Adebayo said the tribunal is saddled with the responsibly of inquiring into the origin, causes and factors leading to the road traffic accident and subsequent arson and vandalization of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). It should be recalled that on the 4th July 2014, it was alleged that a Lance Corporal of The Nigerian Army, who was on his way to the office on Ikorodu Road around Obanikoro area between 6:30 and 6:45am, was knocked down and killed by a BRT bus with number plate KSF 995 XJ, which lead to the destruction of some BRT buses as well as vandalisation, arson, looting and harassment of innocent citizens. The State Governor Mr. Babatunde Fashola [SAN] thereafter inaugurated a three-man Tribunal of Inquiry to look into the cause of the incident in order to avoid future re-occurrence while charging the Tribunal to unravel the real and remote causes of the action. The terms of reference for the tribunal are to:- (a) Inquire into the road traffic accident involving a soldier]/motorcyclist and a Bus Rapid Transit(BRT) bus as well as the subsequent events at Maryland, Ikorodu road on Friday 4th July, 2014; (b) Ascertain the cause and actual location of the accident, whether on or off the BRT lane and the type and condition of vehicles involved; (c) Determine whether the late soldier or bus driver were in breach of the law; (d) Determine the extent of vandalisation, arson, looting and harassment of innocent citizens that followed and identify the persons responsible or involved; (e) Make appropriate recommendations to prevent future occurrence of incidents of this nature; (f) Present any other observations and recommendations to the State Government as it may consider appropriate. The Public hearing timetable is as follows: 1. 16th & 17th September 2014: All Government agencies (LAGBUS, LAMATA, NURTW, OPMESSA, National Civil Defense Corps. Rapid Response Squad RRS) 2. 18th September 2014: The Nigerian Army and Relatives of the Deceased 3. 22nd September 2014: All Media Houses 4. 23rd& 24th September 2014: The general public and other interested persons. 5. 25th and 26th September 2014: The general public. Other members of the tribunal are Mr. Nurudeen Ogbara, a lawyer and the Deputy Law Editor of Thisday newspapers, Mr. Jude Igbanoi, while Ms. Damilola Keshington of the Ministry of Justice will serve as the Secretary.
Posted on: Mon, 15 Sep 2014 19:01:20 +0000
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