Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Governor of Lagos State, has reconsidered his decision to appeal the High Court judgment in favour of Clement Adedotun, the Uber driver who was assaulted during the first anniversary of the #EndSARS protest in October 2021.
In an Instagram post he shared on his handle on Saturday evening, he stated that he had ordered the Lagos State Attorney General to arrange a meeting with Adedotun and pay him his ₦5 million compensation. The post was also shared on the governor’s Twitter handle.
Good evening Lagos, as Governor, I'm committed to upholding the rule of law and protecting citizens' rights with empathy and authority.
I recently became aware of the case involving Mr. Clement Adedotun and the judgement by the Federal High Court, and I understand the impact…
— Babajide Sanwo-Olu (@jidesanwoolu) March 25, 2023
On Friday, the Lagos State Government filed an appeal over a March 14 ruling mandating it to pay Adedotun a ₦5 million compensation after he was assaulted by the Lagos State Neighbourhood Agency and the police.
“As Governor, I’m committed to upholding the rule of law and protecting citizens’ rights with empathy and authority,” he wrote. “I became aware of the case involving Mr. Clement Adedotun and the judgement by the Federal High Court, and I understand the impact this legal battle has had on him.
“After reviewing Mr. Clement’s case, I’ve directed the Honorable Attorney General to set up a meeting and pay him the compensation awarded by the Court.
“Although the State Government has appealed the ruling, I’ve interceded in this instance in the interest of the public good, and requested that the State’s Attorney General comply with the court’s ruling.
“As a strong advocate for the rule of law, I commend all parties for seeking justice through the appropriate channels, and I remain committed to upholding the rights of all Lagosians.”
