The Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry and restitution for SARS related abuses and other matters has awarded the sum of N19,250,000 million as compensation to six more victims of Police brutality.
The petitioners are Akinmade Akinrolabu (N1.5 million), Sanusi Oluwakemi (N750k) Patrick Michael (N3 million), Ayomide Oyewunmi (N1 million), Adeshina Adeosun (N10 million), Oluwatosin Odebode (N3 Million).
Chairperson of the panel, Justice Doris Okuwobi (retd) presented the cheques to the victims or their families.
The family of Lagos taxi driver, Adeshina Adeosun, who was killed by police officers attached to the Olosan Police Station in Mushin axis of the state shot him was handed a N10million cheque.
The family had alleged that the deceased was shot at Fan Milk junction around Mushin axis of Lagos, on October 20, 2020, during the #EndSARS protest.
In her ruling, Justice Okwuobi also ordered the Lagos police command to provide the deceased body for burial.
She also advised that the Nigerian police officers be trained on how to handle a crowd and a riotous situation.
Another petitioner, 14-year old Ayomide Oyewunmi got N1million for the trauma he suffered while being handcuffed by some police officers attached to the Ajah area of the state.
His father, Taiwo Oyewunmi, who testified on his behalf, had told the panel that the police officers invaded his residence and handcuffed his son.
Mr Oyewunmi said that it took the intervention of the station’s DCO and instruction from the “higher authority not to detain the minor in the cell” adding that his son was traumatised following the incident.
The panel ruled that the 14-year-old was subjected to fear and exposed to danger and is entitled to compensation and apology from the police.
The panel is billed to round off its sittings by October 19, 2021since it was set up by the Lagos government after the EndSARS protests, on October 19, 2020, to probe cases of police brutality in the state.
Last Saturday, the panel suspended its sittings to review evidence collated on the Lekki tollgate shooting incident of October 21, 2020.
It resumed a week after to deliver decisions on some concluded petitions and hand out compensations to deserving petitioners.
