The management of Mainland Hospital, Lagos has refused to release corpses of #EndSARS protesters, Punch reported on Sunday.

The hospital denied requests from parents and family members of bodies suspected to have been felled during the #EndSARS demonstrations, citing a directive from the state ministry of health not to release the corpses.

Chief coroner of Lagos State, Mojisola Dada had last Wednesday urged families whose loved ones went missing between October 19 and 27 to come forward and identify unknown bodies in the morgue.

The #EndSARS protest which started peacefully was truncated by military officers and thugs. Violence was reported in several parts of the country with videos on social media showing attacks against protesters by thugs and soldiers.

On October 20, military officials attack unarmed protesters, killing some and leaving several other injured, Peoples Gazette reported.

The mortuary front desk officer at the Mainland Hospital, Yaba, Lagos told Punch that the state government had categorically directed that only bodies of those who died before and after the ENDSARS protest should be released.

“Relatives can come when the government lifts the ban on such corpses. We are just waiting for the announcement to be made before we start releasing those bodies to the families,” the mortuary attendant, who refused to give his name said.

The Medical Director of the Mainland Hospital, Abimbola Bowale maintained that only the governor and the health commissioner can authorise the release bodies of ENDSARS protesters.

Information commissioner, Gbenga Omotoso was also heard to have said the government will release a statement in that regards.

Peoples Gazette reported how an army major made and effort to hand over nine bodies to the police in Lagos but was turned down and advised to deposit the bodies himself.

The killing of unarmed protesters has drawn global condemnation, with the UK Parliament fixing November 23 to debate sanction against the Buhari government for the shootings.

Some state governments have since set up a panel of inquiry to hear matters of police brutality.

After initial denials, the Nigerian Army finally admitted that it went to the Lekki toll gate with live ammunition but claimed it did not use it on protesters.