NHRC awards N289.3m compensation to Police brutality victims

The Independent Investigative Panel on Special Anti-Robbery Squad IIP-SARS through National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, today 14th Wednesday,2022 awarded a sum of N 287million compensation to 74 victims of police brutality.   The IIP-SARS was set up by the Federal Government in November 2020 following the “ENDSARS Protest” which was triggered by nationwide allegations of Police brutality.   The panel under the supervision of National Human Rights Commission NHRC conducted public hearing/investigation on violations of human rights by the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, and other police units. While speaking,…

Reincarnating Constable Ifeanyi at the Lekki Toll Gate By Festus Adedayo

Oga, mek we kill am!, the gangling police constable had told my father. This was sometime in the early 1980s and the scene was the ever-busy Ilesa-Akure expressway, in the old Oyo, now Osun State. My father, an Inspector in the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), headed the Ilesa Signals Corps of the police. However, short of officers to lead police patrols, in the light of the ever-bludgeoning criminal activities in the Ife-Ijesa zone of the time, the Divisional Police Officer authoritatively yanked the Inspector from his signals unit office drudgery.…

#ENDSARS: One year after, we remember our young heroes and heroines! By Joe Okei Odumakin

We remember today all the young Nigerians killed or maimed during the #ENDSARS protests one year ago, in bizarre circumstances.   We remember them because of the weight their memory places on our conscience as individuals who witnessed the gory sight. We remember them because we have neither addressed the grievances that led to the protests nor extricated ourselves from the miry clay of insensitivity and cluelessness that our youths stood up against. We remember them because, one year after, we have not moved an inch from a spot. The…

NHRC IIP-SARS bounces back, resumes sitting Monday

Contrary to the insinuations in some quarters that the Independent Investigation Panel on Allegations of Human Rights Violations by the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad and other Units of the Nigerian Police Force (IIP-SARS) has fizzled out, the panel rather gathered more momentum preparatory to resumption of sitting on Monday 18th October, 2021, determined to continue to do justice to the total of 295 petitions it received. On the aforementioned date, the 11-Member panel chaired by Justice Suleiman Galadima (rtd) will listen to final written and oral addresses in eight petitions,…

IIP-SARS considers petitions on judgment debts,asks police to obey court orders

The Independent Investigative Panel on allegations of human rights violations by the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad and other Units of the Nigeria Police Force (IIP-SARS) has considered payments of compensation to victims of human rights violations with court judgments which have not been paid by the police.   The Chairman of the panel Rtd Justice Sulaiman Galadima presided over an executive session on petitions relating to enforcement of judicial decisions /awards with the purpose of considering such petitions.   The executive session considered 20 out of the 44 petitions on…

EndSARS: Why we ‘ve not awarded compensations— Osun Panel of Inquiry Chair …says panel has disposed of 23 cases so far

The Chairman, Osun Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Police Brutality, Human Rights Violations and Related Extra Judicial Killings, Justice Akin Oladimeji (rtd.), on Friday disclosed that it reserved its recommendations as part of efforts to ensure justice and adequate compensations for all. He said the panel reserved its recommendations in some of the cases already concluded in line with judicial procedure. Justice Oladimeji who reaffirmed the commitment of the panel to ensure fairness and equity in all the petitions brought before it, said members of the panel had been working…

Osun Judicial Panel of Inquiry: Petitioners, counsel laud panel’s high sense of commitment to fair hearing, justice … as 10 cases heard at weekend …. Why we came to Panel – Family of boy chased to death

As the Osun Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Police Brutality, Human Rights Violations and Related Extra Judicial Killings continued its proceedings, the petitioners and their counsel at the weekend lauded the panel for upholding the constitutional and judicial tenets of setting up the panel. Similarly, the parents of the boy chased to death in September by a combined team of Security operatives have finally approached the Panel to seek redress. The panel, which had resumed sitting on Friday and sat on Saturday, was also applauded for continually allowing the parties…

#EndSars: Osun Judicial Panel of Inquiry resumes hearing with 30 petitions …our hopes lie in the panel, says petitioner

The Osun Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Police Brutality, Human Rights Violations and Related Extra Judicial Killings on Friday said it has received thirty petitions so far. The Panel reiterated its commitment to ensuring fair hearing and justice in all the petitions received within the time frame of stipulated six months. This was just as the Chairman of the Panel, Justice Akinwale David Oladimeji, berated the attitude and misconduct of some officers and men of Nigeria Police Force. Addressing journalists shortly after the hearings, Justice Oladimeji said the evidence gathered…

ENDSARS: IGP orders investigations into alleged suit against States’Judicial Panel of Inquiry

The Inspector General of Police, IGP M.A Adamu has directed immediate investigations into a suit purportedly challenging the legality of the States’ Judicial Panel of Inquiry, investigating allegations by citizens against officers of the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). The IGP, who gave the order on the heels of trending reports in the media, today 3rd December, 2020, expressed the disapproval of the Force Management Team on the matter and ordered investigations into the alleged role of the Force Legal Section including its Head. Meanwhile, the Force Legal Officer has…

#EndSARS: Rebuild vandalised infrastructure in Lagos, Calabar, Senate urges FG

The Senate has called on the Federal Government, to as a matter of urgency, reconstruct and rebuild infrastructure destroyed by hoodlums during the #EndSARS protest in Lagos and Calabar. The upper chamber gave the charge during plenary on Tuesday, following consideration of two separate motions brought to the floor by Senators Biodun Olujimi (PDP – Ekiti South); and Gershom Bassey (PDP – Cross River South). Coming under Order 42 and 52 of the Senate Rules, Olujimi noted that the #EndSARS protest, began on October 3, 2020, and assumed a global…