Falana-led ASCAB tasks Makinde on #EndSARS panel

Group warns government against influencing committees

Oyo State chapter of the Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 And Beyond (ASCAB) has called on Governor Seyi Makinde to speed up the constitution and inauguration of a panel to probe human rights abuses during the #EndSARS protests in the state.

The interim secretary, Prof. Adenike Ogunshe, made the call yesterday in Ibadan.

Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and former chairman of West African Bar Association (WABA), leads ASCAB at the national level.

Ogunshe emphasised that expediting the constitution and inauguration of the commission would expose the abuse of rights during the protests and quicken the compensation of victims.

The don noted that four peaceful and unarmed protesters – Jimoh Isiaq (20) were killed on October 10; while Ganiyu Moshood (22), Taiwo Adeoye (25), and ‘Pelumi Olatunji (15) were killed by security operatives on October 11, 2020.

She added that their cases were being handled by Hussein Afolabi, a member of ASCAB,.

THE United Global Resolve for Peace (UGRFP) has urged the federal and state governments not to impair the panels’ capacity to deliver justice.

It also commended the Federal Government’s directive to states to constitute judicial panels of inquiry into alleged abuses by security agencies.

The Executive Director, Shalom Olaseni, in a statement yesterday, urged the appointed members to be guided by truth, so as not to jeopardise the purpose of establishing the panels.

He noted that the killer policemen must be brought to book, while unprofessional officers should be fired and arraigned where necessary.

Olaseni added: “As a group committed to the pursuit of peace and order, we enjoin the public to remain calm and take the path of dialogue as a tool for justice and reconciliation now represented by the judicial panels of inquiry.”