*Says 29 states, FCT set up panels, 7 states did not
AS part of measures to commemorate the 2020 #EndSARS Protest, Yiaga Africa has called on state governments where panels of inquiry were suspended to resume sitting and conclude hearings.
The non-governmental organisation also asked both the federal and state governments to ensure full implementation of the ‘5 for 5 demands,’ including key proposals for Police reforms.
The Director of Programs at Yiaga Africa Cynthia Mbamalu gave this information in a statement made available to newsmen.
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“Today marks exactly one year since the National Economic Council (NEC) chaired by the Vice-President directed the establishment of Judicial Panels of Inquiry by State Governors in Nigeria to investigate complaints of police brutality and extra-judicial killings,” she said.
The directive, she stated, was in response to one of the #5For5 demands by young Nigerians, who were asking for the establishment of independent judicial panels in all states of Nigeria to investigate Police brutalities and recommend appropriate compensations for victims.
“The directive which was issued on 14th October 2020 required the Judicial Panels of Inquiries to include representatives of youths, students, civil society organisations and to be chaired by a retired judge, she said.
“In compliance with the directive, 29 states and the FCT set up Judicial Panels of Inquiry. Citizens’ observers deployed by Yiaga Africa to the Judicial Panels of Inquiry and the weekly updates reported in partnership with Enough is Enough (EiE) revealed that over 2791 petitions were submitted across the 29 states and the FCT where the Judicial Panels of Inquiry were established.”
Mbamalu noted that despite the directive, seven states – Borno, Jigawa, Kano, Kebbi, Sokoto, Yobe, and Zamfara States – consistently refused to establish the panels.
While these seven states were part of the collective NEC decision, their actions reinforced the notion that the need to engage in meaningful security sector reforms was yet to gain a holistic and joint-partnership approach nationally, she noted.
“Over the past one year, the Judicial Panels of Inquiry in 25 states – Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Gombe, Imo, Kaduna, Katsina, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers and
Taraba – have concluded sittings.
“As we mark one year of the #EndSARS protest we remember the resilience of young Nigerians who over 12 days protested peacefully calling for the disbandment of the notorious Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigerian Police Force and an end to police brutality.
“The youth, in an affirmation of their the democratic and constitutional right to peaceful assembly as well as freedom of association, put together the #5For5 demands.”
She further noted that the demand for justice for victims of Police brutality remained a major part of the demands from the #EndSARS.
To ensure this demand would be met, the government at both the federal and state levels must ensure that the decisions of the panels were fully implemented and ensure that compensations awarded to victims were fulfilled.
“With 25 states concluding their sitting, it is quite worrying to observe that the Judicial Panels of Inquiry in 4 states – Anambra, Benue, Enugu, Kogi, and the FCT – suspended sitting for unknown
reasons.
“So far, of the 25 states, only the reports of Abia, Bayelsa, Cross River, Ekiti, Ondo and Nasarawa State Judicial Panels of Inquiry have been submitted and publicly presented to the state government for implementation of their recommendations.
“Bayelsa, Ekiti and Ondo state are the only states whose reports are available to the public. Yiaga Africa calls on the other states where the Panels have concluded their sittings to release the Judicial Panels of Inquiry Reports and make them available to the public.”
She added that the conclusion of the sittings of the panels and the release of the reports would ensure that victims of Police brutality accessed justice.
Harrison Edeh is a journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting, always determined to drive advocacy for good governance through holding public officials and businesses accountable.