By Chuks Eke
The Anambra State branch of Civil Liberties Organization, CLO, has called on Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, to implement EndSARS judicial panel report on Police Brutality and Other Related Matters, summited to former governor Willie Obiano on February 15, 2021 few days to the end of his tenure.
Comrade Evangelist Vincent Ezekwueme, the CLO State chairman who made the call in statement issued in Onitsha yesterday, noted that the report of the panel, led by Hon. Justice Veronica Ngozi Umeh, was received on behalf of the governor by the Secretary to the State government, Professor Solo Chukwudebelu.
He recalled that there was unprecedented and devastating protests across the country over the brutality perpetrated by men of defunct State Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) across the country that led to death of many protesters and youths on October 20, 2020.
CLO further recalled that the protests prompted the Federal government in her wisdom to direct various state governments to constitute Judicial Panel to look into various SARS abuses, atrocities, killings, injustices and brutalities and proffer adequate compensations for the victims and prosecution of perpetrators.
“His Excellency then, Chief Willie Obiano, constituted a 42- member Judicial Panel, made up of men and women of impeccable character and integrity with unblemished Hon. Justice Veronica Ngozi Umeh as the chairman”.
“To the glory of God, the panel summited comprehensive and well articulated report that if judiciously and transparently implemented will assuage the pains, agony, sufferings and predicaments of the victims and their families as well as rekindle people’s hope and confidence in government”.
“It is no longer news and new that the state received highest number of petitions, 310, throughout the country.There were high expectations from victims, families, petitioners, Anambrarians and Nigerians on the reports of the panel and how the victims will be compensated and culprits prosecuted in tandem with Federal Government directive and motive behind constituting the panel as well as to forestall future occurrences.
“Please, the panel recommended #699million, (six hundred and ninety nine million naira) to the petitioners and dismissed some due to lack of purview of terms of reference for the panel.
The petitioners,their counsels and Anambrarians have been lamenting that the Anambra Judicial Panel Report is merely academic excercise and efforts to douse political tension”, he disclosed further.
In the statement, tagged,”justice could only be served when the unaffected are as outraged as those affected,” endorsed by Evangelist Comrade Vincent Ezekwueme, chairman and Comrade Chidi Mbah, secretary, CLO reiterated her earlier appeal to Gov.Soludo to urgently constitute Committee to articulate government White Paper on the reports.
CLO also pleaded for the commencement of the report implementation and payment of outstanding allowances of the chairman and members of the panel to protect both the image, integrity of the government, the panel chairman and members.
“All eyes are on Anambra as without implementation of the Judicial Panel Reports and payment of compensations to the petitioners, the committees’ report will be relentless efforts without effect, even as the petitioners and their counsels’ efforts will as well be fruitless efforts.
“There is no doubt in our minds that patriotic and transparent implementations of the panel report will improve security, protection of human rights, public interest and socio-economic justice.
“This is only way and means to ameliorate and assuage the victims, petitioners, satisfy their legal representatives and citizens,” CLO affirmed.
