As the intrigues surrounding the triangular battle of wits and grit between popular crossdresser Idris Olanrewaju (aka Bobrisky), social media influencer, VeryDarkman and the Falanas fester, the multi-dimensional drama has led to new revelations about alleged financial dealings involving some so-called #EndSARS protest leaders with popular lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN equally fingered in the web.
A self-professed freedom fighter and founder of a group known as Competent Nigerians, Princess Banke Oniru on Sunday made some revelations regarding how popular Obidient Influencer, Serah Ibrahim partook in sharing millions of Naira released by the Lagos State government as compensation to some victims of the #EndSARS protests that rocked Lagos in October 2020.
Princess Banke Oniru on her X handle (@HRH_bankeoniru) narrated how #EndSARS coordinators in Lagos led by Serah Ibrahim shared millions of Naira severally, mostly in hard currency and equally fingered Femi Falana as having played a role in ensuring the release of the so-called compensation and advisory funds from the Lagos State Government.
Princess Banke Oniru wrote, “following the EndSARS unrest, and during the panel of inquiry, the Lagos state government’s initial funding offer was met with resistance.”
“@sarahibrahim (Sarah Ibrahim) and associates then consulted Mr. Femi Falana regarding the substantial sum proposed for advisory purposes. Despite Mr. Falana’s counsel to accept the funds as a gift, I deemed it incongruous to accept financial compensation from those we were opposing, fearing it may undermine our integrity.
“The first funds Sarah called me to pick up was 1.5m. The second was 1m. I have proofs. Messages to back it up. The #EndSARS coordinators shared millions of money severally. Going back and forth to pick a Ghana must go filled with cash at Alausa Ikeja.
“On two separate occasions, I entrusted my personal assistant to collect money from Sarah, ensuring she took photographs for evidentiary purposes. Afterwards, I shared images of the funds received on EndSARS United and Competent Nigerians platforms for public dissemination as giveaways.
“Adeshina Ademola Ogunlana of blessed memories was the only lawyer that stand genuinely for the endsars. He can never be bought.
“Falana is a constant betrayal of our ideals. Remember he almost frustrated the tribunal. Mr Femi Falana is not a saint”, she concluded.
In a reply to a quoted tweet from Abiodun Sanusi (@AbiodunSanusi01), Princess Banke Oniru also called out another of the so-called #EndSARS protest ‘activists’, Dabiraoluwa Adeyinka as a fraud.
Princess Banke Oniru said, “Dabira is Anini. Terrible human. I accommodate her from the night of Oct 20 2020. Lied about her identity. Lied about everything. While I was spending my penny, she was making money. She used the money meant for the victims to purchase her black SUV and also open up a spa. I thought she really loved Nigeria. I was wrong!”
In response to Miss Oniru’s comment, Abiodun Sanusi who is obviously connected to the group said,”Dabira (Dabira Adeyinka) flew to Abuja to meet with us at Sowore’s house. She mentioned the intention of the Lagos State Government to release money, but we rejected it, and told her it was wrong to receive money from the government. After that, we never saw her again.”
The revelation by Banke Oniru forced Serah Ibrahim to post a lengthy account of what transpired and tried to exonerate herself by insisting she was not initially willing to be involved in the disbursement of the said compensation fund to victims listed in the report of the Lagos Panel that investigated the events that happened during the #EndSARS protests of 2020 in Lagos State.
Serah Ibrahim, who before now has been fingered in various financial scandals involving protests as well as the Obidient movement/Labour Party, in her defense stated that she was got involved in the sharing of the money unwillingly. She also acknowledged that Femi Falana SAN who was providing legal advisory to her and her colleagues advised them to accept the N100 million offered by the Lagos State Government.
However, Serah Ibrahim denied collecting any money for her services and only admitted collecting the share of Princess Banke Oniru (Victoria Oniru) which ran into millions of Naira. But contrary to her claims, a spreadsheet containing names of individuals scheduled for payment revealed that she got N10 million as personal compensation for her trauma and also for “assisting” the Panel.
In the said document, Princess Banke Oniru (listed as Victoria Oniru) alongside eight unnamed others were paid a total of N15 million.
These revelations has generated a lot of comments from Nigerians with many expressing shock that while many of them were busy protesting during #EndSARS protests, few people who strategically placed themselves at the forefront of the protests were scheming on how to make money from the #EndSARS events.
A Kogi-born PDP supporter, Theo Abu posted on his handle: “Serah did not go to prison. Serah was never arrested. Serah was never shot. But Serah got N10m for severe trauma. WE ALL KNOW WHAT WE ARE DOING.”
It would be recalled that in the heat of the #EndSARS protests which were particularly intense in Lagos, the Lagos State Government as part of demands of the protesters set up the #EndSARS Judicial Panel of inquiry on October 19, 2020, to investigate cases of police brutality and provide restitution to the victims.
The nine-member panel comprised lawyers, representatives of civil societies, human rights groups and the youth. By October the next year, the panel had awarded over N400 million as compensation to established victims of police brutality that took place in various parts Lagos State.