#ENDSARS: Investigating Panel awards over N500 Million Against Police

The Investigating Panel on the act of Police brutality in the #ENDSARS protest has yesterday awarded about N575.8 million damages against the Nigerian Police after reviewing 20 of the 44 petitions received for right violations by the Police force.

The Investigating panel of the #EndSars petitions headed by retired Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Suleiman Galadima, heard 20 amongst the 44 petitions set before it in an executive session yesterday being Thursday the 18th day of March 2021.

The National Human Rights Commission while speaking on the matter yesterday, emphasised that a total number of 44 petitions was what was received by the above-mentioned panel, in which they are investigating the various incidents of Police brutality as contained therein and that it’s centred on judgement debts incurred by the Police force as a result of various right violations of petitioners.

READ ALSO: List of Successful Candidates, Nigerian Navy DSSC 28 Training & Instructions

In line with statements per reports, a total sum amounting to N575.8 million were awarded against the Nigerian Police in the judgement (likewise known as Judgement Debt) given by the panel yesterday after considering 20 petitions out of the entire 44.

Hillary Ogbonna, the Secretary of the Panel spoke on the way in which the Judgement debt is to be paid and also brought to light the decision of the Panel Ordering the Nigerian Police to issue apologies to some of the petitioners who have same included as part of their compensation.

In the statement of Mr Ogbonna as reported and quoted by the PremiumTimes, he had the following to say:

Police have to make a “commitment to respect court orders while part of the money will be paid from the human rights compensation funds which are expected to be paid for such purposes”

“Apart from assisting the victims of human rights violations to get their compensation paid, the panel has also taken decision to order the Police authority to issue apologies to some of the petitioners who have the issuance of apology as part of their compensation”.