One year after the #EndSARS protest, the Civil Society Organisation, Yiaga Africa has called on the government to Complete Panel Sittings, release Panels of Inquiry reports and fully implement citizens’ 5 for 5 Demands.
This was contained in a press statement signed by Director of Programs, Cynthia Mbamalu, to commemorate one year of the anniversary of citizens’ protest to demand an end to police brutality.
According to Mbamalu, “as we mark one year of the #EndSARS protest we remember the resilience of young Nigerians who over 12 days protested peacefully calling for the disbandment of the notorious Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigerian Police Force and an end to police brutality.
The youth, in an affirmation of their democratic and constitutional right to peaceful assembly as well as freedom of association, put together the #5For5 demands.”
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She said, “the demand for justice for victims of police brutality remains a major part of the demands from the #EndSARS. To ensure this demand is met, the government at both the Federal and State levels must ensure that the decisions of the panels are fully implemented. This includes ensuring that compensations awarded to victims are fulfilled”.
Yiaga Africa recalls the directive for the establishment of Judicial Panels of Inquiry by State Governors in Nigeria to investigate complaints of police brutality and extra-judicial killings.
It, however, decried the fact that seven states – Borno, Jigawa, Kano, Kebbi, Sokoto, Yobe, and Zamfara States – consistently refused to establish the Panels saying, their actions reinforce the notion that the need to engage in meaningful security sector reform is yet to adopt a holistic and joint-partnership approach nationally.
“With 25 states concluding their sitting, it is quite worrying to observe that the Judicial Panels of Inquiry in 4 states – Anambra, Benue, Enugu, Kogi, and the FCT – suspended sitting for unknown reasons”, she said.
“So far, of the 25 states, only the reports of Abia, Bayelsa, Cross River, Ekiti, Ondo and Nasarawa State Judicial Panels of Inquiry have been submitted and publicly presented to the state government for implementation of their recommendations. Bayelsa, Ekiti and Ondo state are the only states whose reports are available to the public”, she said.
“As we mark one year of the #EndSARS protest we remember the resilience of young Nigerians who over 12 days protested peacefully calling for the disbandment of the notorious Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigerian Police Force and an end to police brutality.
The youth, in an affirmation of their democratic and constitutional right to peaceful assembly as well as freedom of association, put together the #5For5 demands.”
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” The demand for justice for victims of police brutality remains a major part of the demands from the #EndSARS. To ensure this demand is met, the government at both the Federal and State levels must ensure that the decisions of the panels are fully implemented. This includes ensuring that compensations awarded to victims are fulfilled.”, she said
Yiaga Africa called on the State Governments where Panels have been suspended to resume sitting and conclude the hearings. “We also call on both the Federal and State Government to ensure the full implementation of the 5 for 5 demands which include key proposals demanding immediate police reform critical to ensuring that police brutality is eliminated.”, she said
