TheCable reports that the judicial panel established by the Lagos state government to probe brutality and high handedness of the disbanded special anti-robbery squad (SARS) has approved the reopening of the Lekki tollgate.

The nine-man panel returned the control of the tollgate to the Lekki Concession Company (LCC), the operators, on Saturday.

LCC, though its counsel, Rotimi Seriki, had earlier prayed the panel to allow it to take over the plaza for repair and insurance claims since December 2020.

“My humble request is that if the tribunal doesn’t have further need to visit the plaza, the LCC should be permitted to take back possession of the toll plaza for the purpose of evaluation of the damage and commence the process of carrying out necessary repairs,” he had said.

But the panel said the toll plaza could not be handed over as a forensic expert has been paid by the Lagos state government to examine the toll gate with respect of the October 20 shooting incident.

The report of the forensic examination, which was meant to be ready on Tuesday, is yet to be disclosed by the panel.

LCC suspended operations at the toll plaza after the shooting of protesters on October 20,2020.