EndSARS: Oyo Judicial Panel Recommends Compensation For Victims

The Judicial Panel of Inquiry into Police Brutality, Violation of Rights of Citizens and Unlawful Killings set up by the Oyo State Government have recommended compensations to 121 petitions on abuses that resulted in the death, permanent injuries resulting in disabilities.

The panel led by Justice Badejoko Adeniji (retired) made this recommendation while presenting their report to the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde at the Oyo governor’s office, Ibadan.

Recall that Makinde had on November 10, 2020, inaugurated the Oyo Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Police Brutality in the state in compliance with the directive of the federal government that states should set up panels of inquiry, following the #EndSARS protests of October 2020.

While commending the panel members for doing a thorough job, Makinde also thanked them for the services rendered to the state.

In the report presented by panel Chairperson, Justice Badejoko Adeniji (retired) it was recommended that the state government awards compensation on 121 petitions on abuses that resulted in death, permanent physical injuries resulting in disabilities.

Other categories where award of compensations was proposed were those petitions on the loss of valuable items and properties, victims undergoing a medical or surgical treatment or suffering partial injuries, unlawful detention and other human rights violations.

The report detailed victims that are residents in Oyo State and were brutalised, victimised, tortured and violated by men of the Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun), the state Security Joint Task Force (Operation Burst) and unknown hoodlums.

Contained in the report is that of Oyo State residents brutalised, victimised, tortured and violated by men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), officers of the Oyo State Police Command and those arrested and taken to Abuja by men of the Intelligence Response Team of the Inspector General of Police where they were tortured and violated.

Adeniji also reported that the panel received a total of 151 petitions out of which 121 were adjourned sine die for an award of compensations between January 26, 2021, to July 13, 2021, when the panel held public sittings; while 30 petitions were struck out for three main reasons.

She revealed that 30 petitions were struck out for lack of diligent prosecution by the petitioner, petitioners withdrawing their petitions after amicably settling the issue within them and where issues in the petitions between the parties are the subject matter of litigations pending before various courts of law.

Responding, Makinde promised that the recommendations in the report would be implemented, adding that necessary recommendations would be forwarded to the Federal Government.

Makinde who said that he was also keen to have a report on abuses, maiming, brutality suffered by the police themselves in the hands of civilians consequently tasked the state Commissioner of Police, Ngozi Onadeko, to compile a list of police victims as an addendum to the panel's report for the state government to consider.