BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI & MONSUR OLOOOPEJO

LAGOS—Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, yesterday, constituted a three-man panel of enquiry on the July 4 Bus Rapid Transit, BRT, accident on Ikorodu Road that led to the death of a soldier and the attendant mayhem.

On July 4th, 2014, a BRT bus at Palm-Grove, along Ikorodu Road, killed a soldier leading to destruction of some BRT buses among other property.

No fewer than eight BRT buses were set ablaze in the process by yet-to-be identified persons and groups.

Some irate solders were alleged to have spearheaded the mayhem.

However, authorities of the Nigerian Army dismissed the allegation, blaming hoodlums.

The panel, mandated to submit its report within 60 days, is headed by Justice Ebenezer Adebajo, a retired high court judge.

The other members are Mr. Nurudeen Ogbara, a lawyer and Mr. Jude Igbanoi, the Deputy Law Editor of Thisday Newspapers while the secretary is Miss Oludamilola Kessington.

The panel is to investigate the cause(s) of the accident and how the victim died, ascertain the actual perpetrators of the mayhem with a view to avoiding future occurrence and submit its findings to the government within 60 days.

Speaking at the inauguration, Fashola described the incident as regrettable, especially as it resulted in the loss of life and destruction of property, saying “unfortunately on the July 4th, 2014, the tragic death of a young soldier was compounded by destruction of buses.

”There are many questions that have arisen. Will soldiers do this? If not, who did? I think it is important to note that if it was not the soldiers, Nigerians should know and help maintain and sustain its reputation and help reinforce the trust the Nigerian people have in the Nigerian Army.”