#Endsars: 54 victims withdraw petitions against police over alleged threat to lives

---N438.8million paid to victims 

By: Idris Umar Momoh

September 30, 2022

The Independent Investigative Panel on Human Rights Violations against SARS and other units of the Nigerian Police said 54 victims withdrew petitions before the panel 

due to harassment, intimidation, and threats to lives by the police.

Hilary Ogbonna, Secretary of the panel made the disclosure while  presenting the fact sheets of the report during the submission of the panel's report to the National Human Rights Commission on Tuesday in Abuja.

Ogbonna also disclosed that a total  

of N438, 884, 094million  has been paid to victims.

He explained that  the committee received 295 petitions on police brutality from 29 states of the federation, with Abuja having the highest number with 123 petitions.

He said the subject matters of the petitions were wrongful demotion, extortion, police harassment and intimidation, unlawful seizure of property, disobedience to court orders, denial of access to justice, abuse of office, and enforced disappearance.

Other areas included a threat to life, unlawful arrest and detention, nonpayment of a judgment sum, cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment, and violation of the right to life.

Earlier, the chairman of the IIP-HRV-A-SARS, Justice Suleiman Galadima, a retired Justice of the Supreme Court, said the panel had entertained over 200 petitions from 29 states since its inauguration two years ago.

The panel, in its recommendation, found 72 police officers guilty of the allegations levelled against them while 28 of them were recommended for prosecution, 25 recommended for dismissal, 15 for disciplinary actions, and four were recommended for demotion.

Justice Suleiman, who called on the Federal Government to take a critical view of the report to implement its recommendations, also called on NHRC to harmonise all the various reports submitted to it for further transmission to the Federal Government for implementation.

On his part, the NHRC Executive Secretary, Chief Tony Ojukwu (SAN), said the commission would not rest on its oars until impunity was completely banished from Nigeria.

Ojukwu stated that the  NHRC would ensure the implementation of the recommendations of the panel.

According to him, payment of compensation and holding indicted officers of the Nigeria Police accountable for the violation of the rights of the people were the first steps on the road to justice.

“I welcome the decisions and indictments issued by the Justice Galadima panel, and I want to assure Nigerians and the victims and their families that the National Human Rights Commission will do everything possible to ensure that the decisions are implemented.

“We will work with the police, relevant committees of the National Assembly, civil society, and development partners to implement the panel’s recommendations on police reforms to ensure effectiveness and human rights-centred policing,”he said.

He said the efforts of the Nigerian youths during the #EndSARS protests would not be in vain.