BEVERLY HILLS, October 28, (THEWILL) – The Lagos Panel of Inquiry on Police brutality on Tuesday held its first sitting.
The panel which is investigating cases of brutality and human rights violations committed by operatives of the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Lagos State, is to sit from 10am to 4pm on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays for six months at the Lagos Court of Arbitration, Remi Oluwode street, Lekki Phase 1.
On Tuesday, the panel listed four cases in its first proceeding including case between Okoliagu Abunike Vs Federal SARS; Mr. Ndukwe Ekekwe Vs FSARS; Mr. Olukoya Ogungbeje Vs FSARS and case between Mr. Basil Chetal Ejiagwa Vs FSARS.
The panel chairperson, Justice Doris Okuwobi, however, stood down Ekekwe’s petition, saying the petition against one Hamza Haruna of the new disbanded SARS could not go on because of the absence of the Police Commissioner.
“We have sent a summon to the Commissioner of Police, Lagos. The registrar should give us an adjournment within seven days. After seven days, if the CP is not here, we would know the next action to take. Proceedings in this petition are adjourned to November 3, 2020”, she said.
Another victim of police brutality, Mr. Abunike who testified before the panel said that in 2012, he had a bitter experience with the FSAR after his then-boss accused him of embezzling the money and stealing some goods belonging to the company.
Abunike said he was severely tortured so much that he lost two of his teeth, while he lost all he had including his house, landed property and other properties to the case.
“Later the case was taken to the High Court in Lagos and judgement was given in my favour but until now, nothing has been done in respect of the judgment. My life has been miserable since then,” he said.
He appealed to the panel to compel the Police to obey the court ruling or return all my belongings to me.
Two other victims, Olukoya Ogungbeje and Basil Chetal sent in their petitions which were adopted as their testimonies.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army on Tuesday admitted that its personnel were deployed to the Lekki Toll Gate on the invitation of the Lagos State Governor.
Amnesty International alleged that 12 demonstrators had been shot dead at Lekki Toll Gate and another site last Tuesday by Armed soldiers, who then took the bodies away. The Nigerian army claimed on Twitter that these reports were “fake news.”
The human rights group said at least 56 people have died across the country since the protests began, with about 38 killed last Tuesday alone.
Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Monday said that only two people were killed by the military. CCTV footage from last Tuesday’s incident will be part of the tribunal’s investigation but is not yet known if it will be made public.
ALSO READ: Video: #EndSARS Lekki Shooting Incident: The Truth Is Out There
The shooting incident at the Lekki Toll Gate has attracted global condemnation by the United States, United Kingdom, United Nations, African Union, and the European Union.
