The Lagos State Government is appealing the acquittal of Major Hamza Al Mustapha at the Supreme Court because it places the highest premium on human lives, Governor Babatunde Fashola has said.
The governor, who made the remark at the commemoration of his 2300 days in office held at the Blue Roof of Lagos Television, LTV Ikeja, said his administration acted based on the popular agitation of the people.
“The first report is in respect of the verdict of acquittal of Major Al Mustapha for charges of conspiracy and murder by the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal, which has generated some mixed reactions,” he said.
“Because our Constitution permits a further appeal to the Supreme Court, and because we place the highest premium on every human life and because the families of the victims deserve every right to agitate the matter to the final court, just as the accused would have been entitled, your government has appealed on behalf of the people to the Supreme Court.”
Gov. Fashola also disclosed that the government filed 20 different petitions at the Census Tribunal to challenge the figures in the 20 local governments, adding that the petitions were successful in 14 of them where the tribunal made various findings that included orders for recounts.
He added, “From these findings, it seems fair to conclude that the census returns were manipulated against Lagosians in an act of grave injustice to say the least.
“No nation that wants to prosper and solve human challenges should ever be tardy or play politics with data collection projects such as population census. You cannot manage what you cannot measure,” he said.
Information Nigeria reports that the event was attended by Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu; a former military administrator of Lagos State, Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu; second republic governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande; Asoju Oba of Lagos, Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas; former deputy governor of the state, Mrs. Sarah Sosan among other dignitaries.
