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Omobolanle: NBA seeks N5b compensation for deceased’s family, implementation of #ENDSARS report

By Bertram Nwannekanma (Lagos) and Ameh Ochojila (Abuja)
30 December 2022   |   12:35 pm
The Nigerian Bar Association, Lagos Branch, has called for N5 billion monetary compensation for the family of slain Lawyer, Mrs. Omobolanle Raheem, from the Federal and Lagos State governments as well as the Nigeria Police Force and the Police Service Commission, through its Human Rights Committee, in addition to the prosecution of ASP Drambi Vandi,…

President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Maikyau

The Nigerian Bar Association, Lagos Branch, has called for N5 billion monetary compensation for the family of slain Lawyer, Mrs. Omobolanle Raheem, from the Federal and Lagos State governments as well as the Nigeria Police Force and the Police Service Commission, through its Human Rights Committee, in addition to the prosecution of ASP Drambi Vandi, the killer police officer.

The association, in a statement released by Lagos lawyer and human rights activist, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN), yesterday, also pledged to monitor the trial of Vandi, who shot and killed Mrs. Omobolanle Raheem in Lagos on December 25.

“Nigerians woke up to the shock of the death of Mrs. Raheem, who was shot in the Ajah area of Lagos inside her car on her way back from an outing with her family. “The Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Lagos Branch, to which Mrs. Raheem belongs, Mr. Ikechukwu Uwana, contacted Mr. Adegboruwa to lead the team of lawyers for the NBA that will monitor the trial of the killer cop.

“The NBA Lagos in conjunction with the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr. Y.C. Mikyau (SAN), has decided to be part of the prosecution of the policeman, as part of its efforts towards securing quick and effective justice for the family of the deceased.
“In this regard, the NBA will be partnering with the Ministry of Justice during the trial. Mr. Adegboruwa has in turn obtained relevant briefing from the Hon Attorney-General of Lagos State and has secured the assurances of an accelerated prosecution once the case file is received from the police,” the statement added.

Also, Adegboruwa has urged Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to follow the model that he adopted during the EndSARS judicial panel to pay compensation to the family of Mrs. Raheem immediately since it is an established fact that her life was terminated illegally by a policeman.

The human rights lawyer also called for the immediate implementation of the EndSARS judicial panel report, in which far-reaching recommendations were made in relation to: Psychological orientation for all police officers in the handling and use of weapons; training for police officers on basic human rights observance and enforcement; improving the welfare of all police officers in terms of their take home pay, conditions of service, their places of work and residences, to make them more conducive and recruitment of more police officers to reduce the pressure upon the existing officers whose number is not adequate to effectively police the country.

Adegboruwa stated further that it is unacceptable that the issues that led to the EndSARS protests in 2020 have not been addressed despite repeated promises from the government.

He urged the government and the relevant authorities to go beyond mere press statements of lamentations on the gruesome murder of Mrs. Raheem, to accelerate the prosecution of the killer and payment of compensation to the family of the deceased and all other victims of police brutality.

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