The Lagos State judicial panel on restitution for victims of SARS related abuses and other matters sitting in Lagos today Friday 25th June, 2021 awarded N83 million naira as compensation to petitioners whose cases were decided by the panel with the presentation of the cheques by the panel Chairman Justice Doris Okuwobi (Rtd.) at it’s venue.
The cases decided and the awards are the following:
In the case of Emmanuel Ajomafuwe vs the Nigeria police force, the panel awarded the petitioner the sum of N2 million naira as compensation for his gun shot injuries inflicted on him by Inspector Daniel Ojo of the Nigeria police force attached to Trinity police station.
Emmanuel Ajomafuwe girlfriend late Jessica Adaobi whose petition was consolidated with that of Ajomafuwe and was murdered as a result of the bullet fired by Inspector Daniel Ojo who absconded and was declared wanted by the Nigeria police force, was awarded the sum of N10 million naira as monetary compensation to the family.
In the petition of Olajide Fowotade vs the Nigeria police force, the petitioner whose right was violated by a policeman Ayo Arogundade attached to Ketu police station on the 11th of March 2019, was awarded a monetary compensation of N2 million naira.
In the petition of Oshidipe Olumide Sunday vs Federal Special Anti Robbery Squad (FSARS), the petitioner was awarded the sum of N3 million naira as monetary compensation having been detained without trial by the Nigeria police force for 13 days without any notice for the reason of his illegal detention.
In the petition of Mrs Glory Ngozi Ezeh vs the Nigeria police force, the petitioner was awarded N10 million naira compensation for her damaged leg as a result of a policeman attached to Trinity police station Apapa, who drove a bus over her leg after illegally detaining her and the vehicle that she used to convey oil and was demanding N100, 000 bribe which the petitioner refused to pay.
In the petition of Uzor Chukwu vs the Nigeria police force, the petitioner whose 16 year old son was killed by a stray bullet fired by policemen attached to the Nigeria police force Badia police station, Ijora Apapa, as a result a crowd which besieged the police station over the arrest of a child kidnapper and were demanding justice. The panel awarded the petitioner the sum of N10 million naira as compensation for the untimely death of his son.
In the petition of Francis Osajokweh vs the Nigeria police force, the petitioner was awarded the sum of N3 million naira as compensation and the Nigeria police force ordered to retract the publication where the petitioner was portrayed as a car snatcher and a public apology offered him.
In the petition of Sulaimon Raheem vs the Nigeria police force, the petitioner was awarded a monetary compensation of N8 million naira as a result of gun shot wound suffered from the hands of Corporal Sunday David attached to the disbanded Special Anti Robbery Squad (FSARS) on 10th January 2015 and who was killed by a mob in retaliation for the shooting of the petitioner.
In the petition of Late Sulaimon Olaoye vs Federal Special anti Robbery Squad (FSARS), the family of the deceased was awarded a monetary compensation to the tune of N10 million naira.
In the petition of late Kolade Johnson vs Federal Special Anti Robbery Squad (FSARS), the petitioner was killed by Corporal Ogunyemi Olayinka of the disbanded SARS in 2019 at Onipetesi on the Lagos Abeokuta expressway. The panel commended the Nigeria police force for dismissing Corporal Ogunyemi Olayinka and prosecuting him for the murder for which he has been convicted by a court of competent jurisdiction. The panel went ahead to award a monetary compensation of N10 million naira to the family.
The panel also awarded the sum of N5 million naira each to three petitioners Lucky Igbinova, Elvis Irenuma and Effiong Elemu vs Federal Special Anti Robbery Squad (FSARS). All three were domestic staff of late Chief Alfred Rewane who was murdered in his GRA Ikeja residence during the regime of late General Sani Abacha junta. All three were detained, assaulted and brutalized for over nine years by the authorities for the murder of the late elder statesman.
The panel in it’s decisions on the cases found merit in the petitioners evidences which were incontrovertible and thus recommended that they deserved compensation for the violation of their fundamental human right which is guaranteed by the Nigeria constitution.
The panel among it’s many recommendations, called for regular psychological evaluation of men and officers of the Nigeria police force.
It recommended regular trainings for men and officers of the Nigeria police force on weapons handling and public conduct to keep them in tune with the dynamics of modern policing of civility and respect for fundamental human right of citizens.
The panel went ahead to recommend that funds for compensation for violation of fundamental human right of citizens by officers and men of the Nigeria police force should be deducted from their annual budget.
The panel recommended the arrest and prosecution of identified policemen who were indicted by the panel findings for violating the fundamental human right of citizens.
The panel condemned the high level of corruption in the Nigeria police force which manifest in illegal arrest without reason and extortion of innocent Nigerians.
The panel sitting continues.
