BY AGNES NWORIE, ABAKALIKI
The EndSARS Judicial Panel of Inquiry, Ebonyi State has recommended payment of about N189 million as compensation to victims.
The Panel announced the recommendation during a report presentation to the state government at the old Government House Abakaliki, recently.
The Panel Chairman, a retired Chief Judge of the state, Alloy Nwankwo, noted that though the compensation could not be total replacement of the people and things lost by families of the victims, it would go a long way to reduce their plights.
Recall that following the ENDSARS protests across the country, the Judicial Panel of Inquiry into complaints of extra judicial killings and human rights violations by members of the scrapped Special Anti-Robbery Squad and other security agencies was set up and inaugurated on October 20, 2020 in Ebonyi State.
The Panel was mandated to receive and investigate complaints of police brutality, human rights violations and recommend remedial measures where appropriate.
The retired CJ explained that 71 petitions were submitted to the Panel out of which 51 were determined while 20 were either struck out or withdrawn for lack of diligent prosecution.
He called for the full implementation of the Panel’s recommendations including the payment of the compensations to assuage the feelings of those who lost loved ones and relief to victims of brutality.
Governor David Umahi applauded the Panel members for their diligence in handling the task assigned to them and promised that the state government would look into the recommendations.
