Lagos #EndSARS panel awards N410m to 70 victims, treats 235 petitions

The Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Restitution for victims of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) related abuses and other matters led by Justice Doris Okuwobi (rtd) awarded a total of N410 million to 70 victims of Police brutality.

The panel received 235 petitions with only 14 of it being on the alleged Lekki Shooting incident.

“As much as the panel desired to have taken all petitions, the ones that were not taken by the panel were those that did not comply to our rules. So, in this report, we made recommendations for a body to take over human rights abuse cases in Lagos State,” Okuwobi said.

The panel chair spoke on Monday during the presentation of two reports to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

The two reports submitted by the Panel to Lagos State Government are on investigation of petitions on several abuses and killings by the Nigerian Police, especially the disbanded SARS and the October 20, 2020 Lekki Toll Gate shootings during the #EndSARS protests hijacked by hoodlums.

Justice Okuwobi expressed deep appreciation to the Lagos State Government and all the stakeholders who appeared before the Panel.

She said part of the recommendations of the panel is establishment of a body to take over human rights abuses in Lagos.

Sanwo-Olu had on October 19, 2020 inaugurated the Judicial Panel of Inquiry to investigate alleged cases of brutality and human rights violations perpetrated by the Police and operatives of the dissolved Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

The panel was also saddled with the investigation of the alleged shootings that took place on October 20, 2020 at the Lekki Tollgate.

Meanwhile, Governor Sanwo-Olu has set up a four-member committee led by Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN) to raise a White Paper on the reports submitted by the Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Restitution for victims of SARS related abuses and other matters.

Other members of the committee are; Commissioner for Youths and Social Development, Mr. Segun Dawodu; Special Adviser, Works and Infrastructure, Engr. (Mrs) Aramide Adeyoye and Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Office, Mrs. Tolani Oshodi.

The governor said the committee would bring forward a White Paper within the next two weeks to be considered by the Lagos State Executive Council, pledging that the reports and recommendations will be made public and submitted to the National Economic Council (NEC) for discussion.

He also reassured Nigerians, especially residents of Lagos that the government’s action would be guided by the law and in the public interest.

The governor expressed hope that Lagos State government’s decision on the reports would bring complete healing, reconciliation and restitution.