The Lagos State Government has decided to suspend the planned mass burial of the 103 corpses recovered in the aftermath of the October 2020 #EndSARS protest.

The announcement comes after a wave of controversy arose following the initial proposal for the mass burial.

Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso, exclusively revealed this development to PUNCH on Monday, October 9, 2023.

The decision to suspend the mass burial was made in response to the significant public outcry triggered by the July announcement that the government had approved N61,285,000 for the burial of the 103 corpses identified as #EndSARS victims.

A leaked memo dated July 19, 2023, titled “Letter of No Objection – Mass Burial for the 103, the year 2020 EndSars Victims,” had surfaced on social media, sparking outrage among Nigerians, human rights activists, and civil society organizations.

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Organizations such as Amnesty International and the Coalition of #EndSARS Protesters and Supporters had demanded the suspension of the planned mass burial.

Amnesty International specifically called for a transparent coroner inquest and autopsies to be carried out on the 103 #EndSARS victims.

In response, the state government, through the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Mr. Gboyega Akosile, assured that the government would adhere to global best practices in conducting the mass burial.

The decision to suspend the mass burial, as explained by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Omotoso, is aimed at granting people more time to identify their deceased relatives among the corpses.

He noted that, despite the passage of time, no individuals have come forward to identify any of the bodies. Nevertheless, the government intends to proceed with the burial at a later date, offering families a more extended opportunity to locate and identify their loved ones among the deceased.