Implement EndSARS report, pay N699.5 million compensation to victims, group urges Soludo

Anambra Civil Society Network (ACSONET) has urged the state governor, Prof. Charles Soludo, to implement recommendations of reports made by the EndSARS judicial panel of inquiry after the protest.

The group also appealed to the governor to pay victims of police brutality N699.5 million, as recommended by the panel.

The group’s leader, Chris Azor, who disclosed this to The Guardian yesterday, regretted that the report was yet to be implemented since it was submitted in March 15, 2022.

He noted that the issue was highlighted during a training workshop on ‘Combating Terrorism and Money Laundering.’

According to Azor, the panel, which investigated police brutality, following the EndSARS protest, chaired by Justice Veronica Umeh (rtd), submitted its report after one year of deliberations, and recommended N699.5million compensation for 170 petitioners/families of dead victims of police brutality.

Azor, who was a member of the panel, said: “The state government, in its effort to address security challenges, should, first of all, act on the report to compensate victims and their families.

“This is fundamental towards achieving desired peace and security in the state, and, indeed, the South East region.”

The Guardian recalls that as a result of the nationwide protests in October 2020, Federal Government enjoined state governments to constitute judicial panels of inquiry to address the five point demand of protesters, which included: immediate release of arrested protesters; psychological evaluation and retraining of all disbanded SARS officers prior to their redeployment; compensation for all victims of police brutality; investigation and prosecution of errant police officers and increased police personnel salaries.

Anambra State government, in response to Federal Government’s directive, constituted a panel made up of over 35 stakeholders, cutting across sundry interests. The panel received over 300 petitions and made recommendations in a report submitted to the state government.

Highlighting the recommendations, he said: “N699.5million for 170 petitioners, victims with permanent deformities were to be paid between N1 million and N3 million, depending on extent of their injuries, while those with minor injuries should receive between N400, 000 and N1million. All #EndSARS policemen found guilty were to be prosecuted, even as all officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) would be going on annual psychological examination.”