Counsel to the Lagos State government, Mr Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN), on Friday, told the Lagos Judicial Panel of Inquiry into the Lekki Tollgate shootings that #EndSARS protesters were a body not recognised by law.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Owonikoko made the submission after Mr Adesina Ogunlana announced his appearance to the panel as the counsel representing the EndSARS protesters.

Ogunlana had informed the panel that he would be cross-examining Mr Abayomi Omomuwasan, the Managing Director of Lekki Concession Company (LCC).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Omomuwasan was appearing before the panel to testify on the Oct. 20 shooting of #EndSARS protesters by members of the Nigerian military at the Lekki tollgate.

“To the best of my knowledge, there is nobody called #EndSARS protesters and we know that a lawyer must adjudicate based on the instruction.

“My learned friend is entitled to representing anyone recognised before the law. We must know the persons the counsel is representing.

“We cannot have anyone appearing for a body without any structure. The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), for instance, is a known public body with known structure,” Owonikoko said.

The LCC Counsel, Mr Rotimi Seriki, also aligned himself views with Owonikoko’s submission.

“He must represent a body known to law. The witness (LCC MD) appeared before the tribunal because they have evidence that would be of interest to the panel.

“We cannot allow every Tom, Dick and Harry to cross-examine the witness,” he said.

Responding, Ogunlana said he was neither a Tom, Dick or Harry, adding that he received his instruction from #EndSARS protesters, some of whom were present during proceedings.

“He (Seriki) is not in a position to describe my clients or leadership. It is because of #EndSARS protesters that we are here; it is because of the #EndSARS protesters that this panel was created.

“My lord did counsel a few days back that this is not a regular court but a fact-finding body. I’m not representing spirits; I’m representing actual persons,” he said.

Following his submission, Ogunlana presented three #EndSARS protesters, Victoria Oniru, Dabira Ayuku and Perpetua Kamsichukwu, as his clients.

Reacting, Owonikoko, however, said “these are decent people. I withdraw my objection.”

The LCC counsel also withdrew his objection, following the presentation of the #EndSARS protesters before the panel.

Governors on Thursday blamed youth restiveness on socio-economic inequality.

They will work with the Federal Government and other stakeholders to address the issues.

The governors resolved to “adapt, at both the state and regional levels, guidelines to be developed and issued by the National Economic Council (NEC) Sub-Committee on Engagement to reduce restiveness among young people”.

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), at its 21st virtual meeting held on Wednesday, reviewed the fallout of the #EndSARS protests and the distribution of COVID-19 palliatives, among others.

“It is clear that these agitations are attributable to social and economic inequality in the country,” they said in a communique issued by the NGF secretariat.

The governors resolved to “engage with traditional, religious and civil society organisations to drive a common agenda and generate the required support for security personnel who play a vital role in ensuring the safety and the well-being of all Nigerians.”

According to the communique, the NGF members agreed to work with the guidelines to be developed NEC Sub-committee.

The forum’s Vice Chairman and Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, provided an update on the work of the NEC Sub-Committee mandated to engage with youths, civil society, religious, political and traditional leaders to frame a new security architecture.

The NEC sub-committee was set up following the NEC’s emergency meeting held on October 26.

The NGF members commended the Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) “for presenting the true situation of what transpired in the light of the unfortunate misperception that attended the distribution of palliatives at the state level.”

They resolved that the NGF Chairman, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, should work with the CACOVID Chairperson to address the media in addition to members speaking up in their local settings.

The governors also agreed to educate the citizenry about the various palliatives provided by the states, including cash transfers, food items, medical supplies, and tax incentives.

They resolved to direct their Commissioners of Finance to sign the States Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability (SFTAS) Subsidiary Grant Agreements with the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning to give effect to the principles and objectives of the program in their states.

According to the communique, Fayemi provided members with an update on the #ENDSARS protests and emphasised that the security situation in the country remains a priority agenda for NGF’s members across the board.

Fayemi also briefed members on “the meeting on Friday 30th October 2020 with Mr President, together with the leadership of Horasis the Global Visions Community, conveying to members that the partnership with Horasis is envisaged to create a long-term strategic framework for Nigeria to be the African home for Horasis Annual Meetings in addition to establishing the Horasis-Nigeria Economic Development Council to assist the Government in the actualisation of its economic development goals.”

Chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum and Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong, briefed his colleagues on steps taken by the 19 Northern state governors to address the fallouts of the EndSARS protests.

The communique added that Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, who is the Chairman of the NGF Sub-Committee, interfacing with the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, “raised concerns about the current low testing numbers in the country especially, in the light of the resurgence of COVID-19 cases globally.”

Governors were urged to increase their testing capacity in all local governments to help prevent the start of a second wave of the pandemic in the country flowing from imported cases from abroad.

Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, according to the communique, urged state governments to immediately direct the signing of the new SFTAS Subsidiary Grant Agreement to give effect to the principles and objectives of the new additions to the programme.

The General Overseer, The Redeemed Christian Church of God(RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, is well reputed for speaking the truth. Being an acclaimed as a holiness preacher, he is not ashamed to freely let people know his humanness, being not a superhuman.

At his first ministration in Egypt sometimes in the late 1990’s, Pastor declared his feeling of trepidation and dilemma while onboard the aircraft conveying his teeming prayer squad and ministers, to the first Holy Ghost Service which held in Egypt that year.

The reason for fear was not far-fetched. Egypt is a heavily islamized country and besides, the way the Bible in the Old Testament depicts the Egyptians and Pharaoh, their King, as grand enemies of the Israelites, who are God’s own chosen people, remains unforgettable.

Pastor Adeboye, narrated the landmark encounter, not too long ago while ministering on Dove Television.

Hear him: “I will tell you a story of what happened when we were onboard the aircraft conveying us to Egypt as we prepared for landing at the Airport for the first ever Holy Ghost Night that was held in that country.  

“All the while, what kept going through my mind as we approached that ancient enclave of Pharaoh was with some feeling of trepidation.

“For some moment, I must admit my worry about the herculean task before me as to how to properly present the God of Exodus in the Bible who dealt with Pharaoh and the Hosts of the Egyptians. 

Pastor Enoch Adeboye and wife, Folu

“Now, how do i let them know that God loves the Egyptians, despite having drown them in the Red Sea? Recall that Israelites were slaves in the land of Egypt and the Egyptians treated them very harshly, to the point of stubbornly pursuing them even to a dead end. Somehow, God intervened by sinking the entire forces of Pharaoh in the Red Sea”

Soon after landing in the Egyptian capital, the Holy Ghost took over, said the cleric, citing a scripture which reinforced his faith. Zechariah 4:6:Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.

In any case, Pastor Adeboye continued: We had a very wonderful time in the presence of God. The power of God was awesome that night as several hundreds of the Egyptians gave their lives to Jesus Christ by accepting His plan of salvation.”

The Bible corroborates the evangelistic drive of Daddy G.O. as Pastor Adeboye is often called, to take the gospel of Jesus Christ to the whole wide world. And, with the help of God, Pastor Adeboye has since almost two decades been organizing Holy Ghost Services overseas, at least twice or thrice every month.

The Bible says in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life”

Also, not many Christians have fully studied the scriptures to know that God loves all the countries of the world, whether in Africa, Europe, the Americas, Asia and Australia.

God has great prophetic purpose and plan for each nation, especially Egypt, as attested to by the Bible in Isaiah chapter 19, verses 18-25:

 “In that day, shall five cities in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan, and swear to the LORD of hosts; one shall be called, The city of destruction.

“In that day shall there be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to the LORD.

“And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt: for they shall cry unto the LORD because of the oppressors, and he shall send them a saviour, and a great one, and he shall deliver them.

“And the LORD shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the LORD in that day, and shall do sacrifice and oblation; yea, they shall vow a vow unto the LORD, and perform it. 

up to 80% data.

“And the LORD shall smite Egypt: he shall smite and heal it: and they shall return even to the LORD, and he shall be intreated of them, and shall heal them.

“In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians.

“In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land: Whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance.”

Human rights group, the International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law (Intersociety) has claimed that the military operation in Obigbo, Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State and the EndSARS protest in the South East claimed the lives of 110 persons while 200 suffered various degrees of injury.
In Obigbo alone the group said 50 persons died while 80 were injured.

In a report released on Friday, Intersociety said the EndSARS protests were turned into a shooting spree in Rivers and Southeast states.

The full report reads:

The Int’l Society for Civil Liberties & Rule of Law can circumstantially, verifiably and statistically state that the EndSARS protests in the Igbo States of Rivers (largely Igbo), Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi, Abia and Imo were turned into shooting and killing spree by soldiers of the Nigerian Army and personnel of the Nigeria Police Force, leading to close range shooting to death of at least 110 unarmed citizens and terminal injuring of at least 200 others.

These, including Governor Nyesom Wike-aided Army massacre in Obigbo and environs, generally took place in 14 days or from 21st Oct to 4th November 2020. The killings were so glaring that the corpses of the slain littered inside the bushes and by the roadsides; with some buried shallowly or left to decompose and others picked up by their relatives or emergency officials of some of the affected States especially Rivers and Enugu States. There are also independent reports of scores of bodies of the slain buried atrociously by soldiers in shallow graves including melting them with acid substances. Such was the case in Aba in Feb 2016 and Sept 2017 and Onitsha and Nkpor in May 2016.

While most of the shootings, killings and injuries had occurred between 21st and 24th Oct 2020; a period of three days, in Enugu, Anambra, Ebonyi, Imo and Abia States, those of Obigbo and environs in Rivers State took place between 21st Oct when the Gov Nyesom Wike imposed curfew in Oyigbo Local Government Area, targeting Obigbo and environs and 4th Nov, a period of 14 days, when the curfew supposedly elapsed and the massacre forced to subside following public outcries. Since then, Gov Wike has been running from pillar to pole defending himself, saying he ‘did not invite soldiers to kill Obigbo residents”.

We also wish to state clearly that the 50 death figures and 80 gunshot injuries in Obigbo and environs are most likely to be very conservative. This is going by the fact that pieces of credible information are still filtering in and what we have given here is the general evaluation of what happened. The projected 50 deaths and 80 injuries were temporarily arrived at based on credible information gathered from some of the survivors, who also told us that “they saw soldiers driving away dozens of blindfolded residents of their area (Obigbo and environs) with their hands tied behind their back and taken away half naked in batches of military vehicles”. Intersociety is presently carrying out extensive investigation into the massacre especially with regard to ascertaining the final figure of the dead, the tortured, the sexually harassed including the raped; the burnt, the destroyed, the looted, the arrested and incarcerated and the permanently disappeared.

The number of those blindfolded and made half naked who were independently seen being taking away is estimated at over 200. Our contacts who independently verified from police authorities said police told them that none of them arrested and taken away by soldiers since 21st Oct has been handed over to the Rivers State Police Command as at 4th Nov 2020. This raises serious suspicion of secret killing of scores of them by soldiers and possible decimation of their bodies with acid substances for purpose of erasing traces. We also seriously suspect that those arrested since two weeks and possibly held illegally in secret Army custodies are most likely to be undergoing outlawed and agonizing detention practices.

Therefore, as statistics conscious rights group, Intersociety has refused to speak categorically on Obigbo massacre until pieces of reliable statistics or information are gathered. That is to say that this position of ours on the number of the slain and the maimed arising from the massacre is not final, but a credible attempt to present the thirsty global community with a general statistical idea of what the ethno-religiously lopsided Nigerian Army did to Christian citizens of old Eastern Nigeria in Obigbo and environs, in full conspiracy of Gov Nyesom Wike.

We are also in possession of dozens of photos and videos of the slain and the maimed, collected from Rivers, Anambra, Ebonyi, Imo, Enugu and Abia States. Apart from getting them from direct source, they have also been manually and forensically investigated. The photos and videos, many of which not public image friendly, except on personal or formal request, clearly depict deadly use of force by the culpable soldiers and police personnel particularly in Obigbo and environs where ‘heavy’ military bullets were used against unarmed and defenseless citizens.

The victims were also targeted and shot at close range and forbidden or sensitive parts of their bodies; all with intent to massacre or slay. That is to say that the slain victims seen and verified were shot at close range and their sensitive parts including forehead/brain, chest/heart, abdomen/manhood, stomach, and eyes/nose/mouth regions. For instance, Intersociety agrees with Gov Nyesom Wike, to an extent, that “some photos and videos being flooded in the social media as those linked to Obigbo massacre are fake or not connected with same”, but not all of them are fake or with different origins.

Governor Wike’s position on this has implied that ‘soldiers and proscribed SARS operatives did not kill defenseless residents of Obigbo and environs, or destroy and burn properties including residences, or sexually harass including engaging in forced sexual intercourse with or raping unmarried/young married women, or carry out general acts of torture, or blindfold some defenseless residents, take them to unknown military destinations and possibly kill them, or engage in mass arrest of hundreds of the residents of the area; etc. Contrarily, reverse is the case.

Obigbo Casualties & Injuries: Therefore, in Obigbo and environs in Rivers State, we can temporarily confirm the killing of at least 50 unarmed citizens and injuring of not less than 80 others. We can also confirm eleven deaths so far out of which, eight has their names identified and three yet to be named. Their names are: (1) Pastor Igwe (slain husband of Mrs. Amara Igwe), (2) Queen Nwazuo (slain fiancée of Mr. Monday Bakor), (3) Okoro Peter and (4) Chinwendu O.: they were shot at close range and killed instantly by soldiers on 24th Oct 2020 few meters away from Gov Wike’s convoy.

The governor was visiting Obigbo to assess his military deployment and curfew same day and the two young residents barely emerged from their houses to hear what their Gov has come to tell them when soldiers sighted them and opened fire, killing them instantly. They were shot at forehead, forcing the brain-box of Late Chinwendu to bust and emptied at the center of the road. Other dead citizens were: (5) Jude Egejuru (died from gunshot injuries), (6) Clifford Nkemdilim, (7) Late Miss Ngozi Ozuo, (8) Udeme Ossy Monday, (9) a yet-to-be identified dead citizen, (10) second yet-to-be-identified citizen and (11) third yet-to-be-identified dead citizen. It must be noted that soldiers took away bodies of most of those killed.

Among the deadly injured are: (1) Chukwuma Chinonso, (2) Nwoke Okwudiri Nwonye, (3) Uche Ogbonna, (4) Chikaodi Agwu, (5) Michael Okwudiri, (6) John Emeka, (7) Agwu Enyi, (8) Obichukwu Chibuike, (9) Izuchukwu Igwe, (10) Eluu Chukwuemeka, (11) Arinze Joshua, (12) Nwakama Izuegbe, (13) Destiny Okorie, (14) Michael Nkama, (15) Israel Asoh, (16) Emeka Heart, (17) Victor Heart, (18) Orji Amaoji, (19) Paschal, (20) Obasi Emela, (21) Chiwuzu Orjinta and (22) Sylvester Odoche.

Casualties & Injuries Across The Southeast: In Ebonyi State, where at least ten citizens were killed, among them were: (1) Nwibo Chibueze, (2) Nwali Emeka, (3) a yet-to-be-identified young man in his twenties and (4) Ofoke Sunday. Among at least 30 victims of gunshot wounds in the State are: Oshopo Chinedu, (2) Ngoke The, (3) Nwoji Ikechukwu, (4) Nwovu Ikechukwu, (5) Nwofe Lewis, (6) Elom Chimezie, (7) Opoke Mbakwe, (8) Onwe Monday, (9) Elochukwu Suday, (10) Onwe Ezekiel, (11) Igwe Uchenna, (12) Nwudele Uchenna, (13) Nwudele Uchenna, (14) Nwamiri Chukwudi, (15) Nwebi Stephen, (16) Nwofoke Ugochukwu, (17) Nwoke Peter, (18) Mbam Emmanuel, (19) Okey Emeka, (20)Egba Izuchukwu, (21) Awoke Nnamdi and (22) Alo Peter.

In Enugu State, where at least ten citizens were killed, among them were: (1) Christian Ugwuaja, (2) Sunday Chime, (3) Victor Igwe and (4) John Ikemuefuna. Among at least 30 gunshot victims are: (1) Okafor Kosisochukwu, (2) Ezeagbo Ifeanyi, (3) Odigomma Chimazom, (4) Ajah Chukwuemeka, (5) Somtoo Nwaeze, (6) Innocent Ominyi, (7) Friday Mgebebu, (8) Ezinduamaka Osondu, (9) Happiness Chidiebere, (10) Chinonso Obodoagu, (11) Idoko Ebuka, (12) Ibebuike Uzoigwe, (13) Chidi Oguejiofor, (14) Odinaka Ejim, (15) Solomon Okafor, (16) Ani Ifedibalachukwu, (17) Ituma Tochukwu, (18) Oge Simon, (19) Ezeaga Chukwuma, (20) Onwuna Kosiso, (21) Onwe Humphrey, (22) Sunday Kingsley Nweze and (22) Akpataobi Peter.

In Anambra State, where at least 10 unarmed citizens were killed, among them were: (1) Ezenwile Okwuchukwu John, (2) Obasi Mmaduabuchi, (3) Nwafor Ikechukwu and (4) Ekeh Emmanuel Friday; and among 20 wounded citizens are: (1) Okafor Chidi, (2) Ogbada Chinonso, (3) Chigozie Ezenwa, (4) Nwokwu Anayochukwu and (5) Onuoha Kalu. In Abia State, where up to, if not over 20 citizens were killed, among them were: (1) Ifeanyi Nwaogu, (2) Isaiah Chiedozie, (3) Chijoke, (4) Chinedu, (5) Kelechi Godslove, (6) Uche (killed at Ogbohill, Aba), (7) Gorge (killed along Cameroon Road, Aba) and (8) Chukwuka Odinaka Omemma; and among some 25 gunshot injured citizens are: (1) Cyprian Onwe, (2) Uchenna Kalu, (3) Nze Anayo Okoro, (4) Enyinnaya Agha and (5) Chinomso Nkalu. In Imo State, ten persons were killed in Mbaitolu and Orlu and about 15 others shot and injured. Among the dead were Late Mr. Agomuo of IMSUBEB (killed by Army at Nworie-Ubi, Owerri) and Mr. Uwadi Ebuzoeme shot dead in Orlu.

Signed:

Principal Officers: Emeka Umeagbalasi (Board Chair), Chinwe Umeche, Esq., (Head of Democracy), Obianuju Igboeli, Esq., (Head of Civil Liberties), Ndidiamaka Bernard, Esq., (Head of Int’l Justice & Human Rights) and Comrade Sam Kamanyaoku (Head of Field Data Collection & Documentation)

The affected students are Sunday Idongesit Okpokpo of the Department of Political Science and Chibuzor Remmy of the Department of Educational Management.

The management of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has suspended two students for one academic session for allegedly making inciting posts on their social media handles.

The affected students are Sunday Idongesit Okpokpo of the Department of Political Science and Chibuzor Remmy of the Department of Educational Management.

L-R: Sunday Idongesit Okpokpo; Chibuzor Remmy.

According to a statement by the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof Ozo-Mekuri Ndimele, both students are not to be seen on any of the three campuses of the institution unless on invitation.

The institution accused Okpokpo of creating panic and confusion when he posted on social media calling for the cancellation of the final year examination scheduled to commence on Monday November 2, 2020 as well as the matriculation veremony scheduled to hold on Saturday November 7, 2020.

It also accused Remmy of calling out students on Okpokpo’s post to protest on Wednesday November 4, 2020 against the university authority for having only one bank on campus.

The statement reads, “Mr Sunday Idongesit Okpokpo of the Department of Political Science, Faculty of Social Sciences, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, with matriculation number UE/2019/B.Ed4/4505 has been suspended for one academic session 2019/2020) with immediate effect.
 
“Mr Sunday Idongesit Okpokpo had over the weekend created panic and confusion when he posted on the social media cancelling the final year examinations scheduled to commence on Monday November 2, 2020 as well as the matriculation ceremony scheduled to hold on Saturday November 7, 2020. Only the Senate of the university has such powers.
He is to resume studies in 2020/2021 academic session at 100 level. 

“Mr Chibuzor Remmy of the Department of Educational Management, Faculty of Education, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education with matriculation number UE/2018/EDUMAT/B.Ed4/0205 has been suspended for one academic session (2019/2020) with immediate effect.

“Mr Chibuzor Remmy was found guilty of inciting students with his social media post. He had called out students on that post to protest on Wednesday, November 4, 2020 against the university authority for having only one bank on campus. He is to resume school in the 2020/2021 academic session. He is not to be seen on any of the three campuses unless on invitation.”

A victim of police brutality, Ganiu Kamol, has disclosed how “unidentified” police officers shot him in the leg and crippled him.

Ganiu gave this disclosure on Thursday, while giving evidence before the Ogun Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Police Brutality, sitting at the Magistrate Court, Isabo, Abeokuta, the state capital.

The victim said he was shot in the leg by unknown police officers of the Ogun state Police Command attached to the Ibara Divisional Police headquarters in Abeokuta on July 17, 2018.

The petitioner said after he was shot, his mother and brother were detained by the then Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ibara Division, CSP Bolaji Oluwasegun.

He alleged that the DPO refused to produce the officer that fired the shot and also prevented the hospital from treating him.

Narrating his ordeal further, Ganiu said he was hit by the police bullet while he was driving at 3a.m around Ibara area of the Abeokuta metropolis.

According to him, the bullet hit him on his right leg and came out to graze the second leg.

“When I was hit by the bullet, I managed to drive to the hospital for treatment where my mother and my brother were told that they would not treat me without a police report.

“My brother and mother went to Ibara police station to obtain the report but they were detained by the police instead.

“My car was also seized and later released to my family on July 31, 2018 after paying N50,000.

“They accused me of being an armed robber but after several hours of persuasion, they gave them the report, but by the time they got to the hospital my condition had worsened.

“After the incident, I spent one year and two months on the hospital bed. I lost everything during the period.

“Early this year, the police from the command headquarters offered my family N250,000 as settlement fee to forget about the case but my family rejected the money”, the petitioner stated.

The Chairman of the panel, Justice Solomon Olugbemi (rtd) adjourned the matter till Monday, July 9 for further hearing.

Speaking earlier, Justice Olugbemi insisted that the panel was not set out to witch-hunt any security operative, but to ensure equity, fairness and justice to all parties involved.

Olugbemi warned against threat and intimidation of the petitioners, saying the panel has the powers to recommend anyone found culpable for trial.

“We will admit evidences that are relevant and at the end, we will make our recommendations. Nobody should have any fear at all.

“Let me warn that no petitioner or witness should be threatened because we have powers under Commission of Enquiry Law of Ogun State to recommend anyone who does that to be charged to the court.

“So, nobody should be threatened and nobody should have the fears that anything would happen to him.

“Already, we have 40 petitions and we are expecting more”. The panel chairman stated.

In his remarks, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice on the state, Akingbolahan Adeniran, expressed the government’s commitment to ensure all victims get justice.

“The governor is particularly interested in the activities of this panel. He is ready to support the panel towards completion of the exercise,” he submitted.

Two of the 27 victims that submitted petitions at the Edo State Judicial Panel of Inquiry for victims of human rights abuses by operatives of the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), have testified in Benin, the state capital.

An officer of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Isaac Edoh, said he was yet to know if his son, Baba, was dead or alive after brutalisation by policemen in Edo.

Edoh, an indigene of Benue, said he saw his son last in the custody of the Edo Police Command in 2011.

He disclosed he was studying English Literature at the Usman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto before SARS operatives arrested him.

The distraught father stated that in June 2011, he received an anonymous call from Edo State Criminal Investigation Department of the police command that his son was arrested along the Benin-Auchi Road in Edo for alleged kidnapping.

He noted he immediately took permission from his superiors in Lagos and rushed to Benin only to find him lying in a pool of blood due to torture and assault by the investigating police officers.

Edoh said: “I tried speaking with my son but the officers on duty prevented me, despite knowing that the suspect in their custody is my son.

“The next day, I visited the police station but I discovered that the name of my son was not on any of the records of the detainees in the cell.

“I immediately contacted the officer in charge of kidnapping section of the police formation, who informed me that my son was not in their custody. I was informed that he was one of the suspects paraded in national television on June 4, 2011.

“I was told that armed robbers struck and shot my son while the police were conducting further investigation in Auchi, Edo North Senatorial District but none of the police officers sustained injury.

“The only person they claimed died was my son. Since his acclaimed death, the police have refused to release his body.

“I later filed a suit at the Edo State High Court in Benin for abuse of my son’s fundamental human rights. I got favourable judgement but the police appealed the case on the basis of identity conflict.

“The Court of Appeal urged us to return to the High Court for retrial. Since then, I have been demoralised and I do not know whether my son is alive or dead. All I want is justice.”

The Chairman of the panel, Justice Ada Ehigiamusoe (rtd.), admitted a photograph of the son as well as a Compact Disc (CD) of the paraded suspects and court proceedings as exhibits.

Further hearing in the matter was adjourned till November 17 for a response from the accused police officers.

The second victim, Sunday Akpan, revealed he was repeatedly hit on his ear by a police officer for allegedly selling his wife’s refrigerator and shop to offset the debt.

Akpan, who spoke through his counsel, Festus Obijeko, stated he developed hearing impairment after assault by policemen.

Obijeko noted that his client’s condition had made it difficult for him to fend for his family.

The lawyer said: “Akpan was told that the policeman died in the line of duty and that the command would get back to him. That was in February this year. Since that time, police authorities have not got back to him.

“The civil/domestic matter has broken the marriage of Akpan. As I am speaking, Akpan and his wife are not together again.

“His children are not in school. The children are not well fed. The psychological coverage that a father should give to the children is missing.”

The chairman of the panel assured the victims of police brutality in Edo state that the members would be fair and thorough in their job while stressing that they would not rely on the account of one party to make their recommendations, but would invite the police to give their own side of the story.

She stated that the panel was not to indict anyone but could only make recommendations to the Edo State Government on how the victims of police brutality could be compensated.

Justice Ehigiamusoe noted that the victims could still come to the office of the panel to make oral petitions while calling on officers and men of Nigeria police to also present their petitions.

Mrs Chidimma Edozieuno, a petitioner to the Anambra Judicial Panel of Inquiry on police brutality has called for the release of the corpse of her husband, Johnson, to his family for burial.

Edozieuno made the call in her petition to the panel sitting in Awka, the state capital, on Thursday, alleging that the deceased died in police custody.

She said her husband, who lived in Benin Republic, visited Nigeria after she gave birth to a baby and was arrested in the early hours of Aug. 1, 2017 by policemen on mufti at their Ichida Street residence in Awka.

She alleged that her property was taken away to an unknown destination by the operatives, whose operational base was not disclosed to her.

She said the operatives alleged that her husband was a kidnapper and she would not see him again. The widow said that after conducting a search in the police stations around Awka without success, information got to her that her husband was allegedly being tortured and detained by the disbanded Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) at Awkuzu.

She said that she instituted a legal process at the state High Court, Awka to secure his release. She said that during one of the proceedings, the Legal Department of SARS informed the court that her husband had died.

According to her, that was how the matter was dismissed by the court.

Edozieuno pleaded with the panel to order the police to release the husband’s corpse to his family.

She also urged the panel to order the police to return her property and pay reasonable compensation to the deceased’s family.

The Chairman of the panel, Hon. Justice Veronica Umeh, said the panel would investigate the claims in the petition and make appropriate recommendations.

Five of the 33 petitions sent to the panel were entertained on Thursday. The panel struck out the petition by one Dr Peter Ekemezie, following his application for withdrawal.

The matter was said to have been determined by a court and was still pending in an appellate Court. Other petitioners, Onyechi Ngene and Nestor Ngozichukwuka, were advised to engage the services of legal experts to enable them to prepare their case and make clear prayers.

The Lagos State Police Command has said that it would resist any fresh protest from holding in the city.

The police said this in reaction to the planned resumption of #ENDSARS protest in Lagos.

Spokesperson for the police in Lagos, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, in a statement on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, said it would resist any form of planned protest, procession or gathering under any guise or nomenclature in Lagos as the government and people still nurtured wounds of the recent EndSARS violence that wreaked havoc across the state.

He described the protesters as unpatriotic elements, who want to foment violence in the state.

Adejobi said, “The command wishes to inform the general public that based on intelligence gathering from relevant intelligence agencies, some unpatriotic elements or group of people have concluded plans to orchestrate another set of violence in the state in furtherance to the recent EndSARS violence, which has been analysed as dangerous and counterproductive.

“Premised on this, the command, therefore, wishes to warn any individuals, group of students or any groups who might want to stage any form of protest, either “peaceful” or violent, or gathering whatsoever, to desist as the police and other security agencies will collectively and tactically resist any security threats or threats to public peace which might be triggered by protest or protesters in Lagos State.

“The police command, emphatically, warns parents and guardians to discourage their children or wards from embarking on any protest in the state as the possibility of hijacking it by armed hoodlums to cause grieve and pains like the recent past is evident.”

The federal government on Thursday said that the proposed decentralization of correctional service will accelerate the desired reforms as well as decongest Correctional Service Centres across the country.

The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami (SAN), who stated this at the opening of a three-day National Summit on Correctional Reforms in Nigeria, noted that the federal government in its bid to introduce lasting reforms and decongest Correctional Centres has so far released over 11,000 inmates across the country.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Interior, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, has observed that for the reforms to be successful, focus should not be only on the legal aspect but should be encompassing as well as involving the private sector, particularly in empowering inmates with necessary skills for life after detention.

Speaking at the occasion, Malami, who noted that the event is the next phase of strategic efforts towards enduring reforms and decongestion of Correctional Centres, said with the decentralization of the service, states will be able to make meaningful contribution in the area.

“In a recent event with the State Heads of Courts and Attorneys-General, I had mentioned that in order to put in place enduring measures for effective management of Correctional Centres for the reformation, rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders back to the society, the decentralization of correctional service in the country has been proposed.

“This will allow states to effectively participate through the setting up of their own Correctional Centres to manage offenders who commit state offences while the federal government will continue to manage offenders who commit federal offences,” he said.

Outside the proposed decentralization, the AGF disclosed that other efforts made by the government include the development of an Implementation strategy for the Nigerian Correctional Service Act, 2019, as well as implementation of an ICT-enabled national criminal database to promote effective information management in criminal justice administration, decongestion of correctional ventres and non-custodial measures.

“Another milestone in the national strategy towards the decongestion and reformation of correctional centres nationwide is the on-going collaboration between the Federal Ministry of Justice, relevant justice stakeholders and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) with focus on implementing amnesty and decongestion for juveniles deprived of their liberty during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond,” he added.

In a goodwill message, the Minister of Interior stated that proper planning for reforms of the service should start with the establishment of the “percentage of the Nigerian society that must be incarcerated” because according to him, correctional centres are the end of criminal justice.

Aregbesola further submitted that for reforms to be effective, “convicts are expected to come in broken and come out whole” and also able to easily return to society.

While claiming that government alone cannot handle the challenge, he enjoined the private sector and individuals without criminal records to partner in empowering inmates with necessary skills needed to adjust to life after incarceration.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Correctional Reforms and Decongestion and Chief Judge of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Justice Ishaq Bello, listed the speedy passage of the Nigerian Correctional Services Bill by the National Assembly and the subsequent signing into law of the Nigerian Correctional Service Act, 2019 by President Muhammadu Buhari as a major achievement of the committee.

Justice Bello said some of the critical issues to be considered in the summit included the overview of correctional reform and decongestion in Nigeria – the journey so far; best practices in correctional reforms and lessons from other jurisdictions – (emerging issues/trends in correctional reforms and decongestion); deployment of technology in the management of the correctional system in Nigeria – the perspective of the judiciary and deployment of technology in the management of the correctional system in Nigeria – the perspective of the Nigerian correctional service among others.

The highlight of the event was the unveiling of the “Harmonized FCT Sentencing (Custodial and Non-custodial) Practice Direction 2020”, which was developed by the collaborative efforts of the Presidential Committee on Correctional Service Reform and Decongestion, the FCT Judiciary and relevant stakeholders.