Lekki shootings: Lagos govt to unveil panel’s report as sitting ends

-Panel awards N128.2m compensations to 24 petitioners

IBRAHIM QUADRI

Barely a year after it commenced sittings, the Justice Doris Okuwobi-led Lagos State Judicial Panel on Restitution for Victims of SARS Related Abuses and other matters on Monday ended sittings and promised to submit its reports to the Lagos State Government through the Ministry of Justice.

Justice Doris Okuwobi (rtd) said Lagos State Government in line with the laws setting up the Judicial Panel will make its findings and recommendations available to member of the public as stated in the two reports to be submitted by the panel.

During the Monday sitting, the Judicial Panel awarded N128.2millions as compensations to 24 petitioners who were victims of Police brutality as well as families of people killed by the Nigerian Police, especially SARS.

Based on the merit in the petitions of the 24 petitioners, they were awarded N10 million, N5 million, N2.5million, N1 million, N700,000 and N500,000 respectively base on the strength of their petitions.

Speaking at the end of the panel sittings held at Lagos Court of Arbitration, Lekki, Justice Okuwobi said her panel will submit its findings and recommendations on Lekki shootings and Nigerian Police related abuses of the citizens to the Lagos State Government.

She said the two reports to be submitted by the Panel to Lagos State Government are on investigation on the October 20, 2020 Lekki Toll Gate shootings during the EndSARS protests hijacked by hoodlums and petitions on several abuses and killings by the Nigerian Police, especially the disbanded SARS.

Justice Okuwobi said the Judicial Panel, which started its sittings in October 2020, received 255 petitions from members of the public out of which 252 was considered for hearing, adding that the panel during its sittings was able to decide on 182 petitions while 52 was not treated due to time factors.

She said the 52 petitions that were not treated would be included in the Panel reports for necessary advice and actions to be taken by the Lagos State Government through the Ministry of Justice.

Speaking to journalists, the Lead Counsel to Lagos State Government, Mr. Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN), said the Judicial Panel has healed the wounds of many victims of Police brutality and killings through the compensations awarded by the Justice Okuwobi-led panel.

He noted that apart from the compensations, the Judicial Panel through its ruling has also exonerated some victims from wrong doings and defamation of character, which according to him is even more bigger than the monetary compensations.

Speaking to journalists after the end of the siting, a victim of Police harassment, Miss Samson Adaeze Oluwatosin, who was compensated by the Judicial Panel with N2.5m, commended Lagos State Government for setting up the panel and for deeming it fit to compensates victims of Police brutality.