#EndSARS Aftermath: Lagos Panel Gets Three Months Extension

The tenure of the Lagos State Judicial Panel on Restitution For
Victims of SARS Related Abuses and Other Matters has been extended
for another three months.

The new date has been fixed for July 19 which is against the
earlier deadline of April 19, 2021.

The Lagos panel was inaugurated by the State Governor, Babajide
Sanwo-Olu, on October 19, 2020, to among other things receive
memoranda from concerned members of the public and inquire into
cases of abuse, brutality, torture, and extrajudicial killings by
the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad, (SARS) in Lagos.

As of the deadline for the receipt of the memo, the panel had
received 235 petitions.

Today’s sitting is the 65th and so far the panel has part-heard
over 115 cases and given out about N44m as compensation.

The very first petition the panel heard on Tuesday involved a
bed-ridden 76-year-old petitioner, Prince Adewanle Adewuyi who had
alleged police brutality, aggravated assault after his 26 acres of
land in Age-Mowo village Badagry was forcefully taken over by the
police in Dec. 2013.

The land is said to be worth over N800million.

At the last sitting of the panel, Justice Doris Okuwobi had
summoned the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, the
Commissioner of police in charge of Legal Dept, Abuja, the AIG
Co-Operative Police College, Ikeja, and the Surveyor-General of
Lagos State.

At the resumption of proceedings today, the Petitioner’s
counsel, Debo Adeleke noted that all parties summoned had honored
the panel’s invitation and even reached out to him for an amicable
resolution of the matter.

The counsel also stated that with the interference of the Panel,
it has shown that hope is not lost for the common man.

The counsel to the police, Bonnyface Asogwa has told the Panel
that the Inspector General of Police, has ordered all concerned
officers to ensure they handover the land to the petitioner as soon
as possible.

He then asked for a short adjournment to allow parties to tidy
up every documentation over the matter.

Counsel to the AIG Co-operative, Police College, Okey Barrah who
aligned himself with this request told the Panel that the team of
concerned officers had already visited the site and work is in
progress to ensure justice is done.

The tenure of the Lagos State Judicial Panel on Restitution For
Victims of SARS Related Abuses and Other Matters has been extended
for another three months.

The new date has been fixed for July 19 which is against the
earlier deadline of April 19, 2021.

The Lagos panel was inaugurated by the State Governor, Babajide
Sanwo-Olu, on October 19, 2020, to among other things receive
memoranda from concerned members of the public and inquire into
cases of abuse, brutality, torture, and extrajudicial killings by
the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad, (SARS) in Lagos.

As of the deadline for the receipt of the memo, the panel had
received 235 petitions.

Today’s sitting is the 65th and so far the panel has part-heard
over 115 cases and given out about N44m as compensation.

The very first petition the panel heard on Tuesday involved a
bed-ridden 76-year-old petitioner, Prince Adewanle Adewuyi who had
alleged police brutality, aggravated assault after his 26 acres of
land in Age-Mowo village Badagry was forcefully taken over by the
police in Dec. 2013.

The land is said to be worth over N800million.

At the last sitting of the panel, Justice Doris Okuwobi had
summoned the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, the
Commissioner of police in charge of Legal Dept, Abuja, the AIG
Co-Operative Police College, Ikeja, and the Surveyor-General of
Lagos State.

At the resumption of proceedings today, the Petitioner’s
counsel, Debo Adeleke noted that all parties summoned had honored
the panel’s invitation and even reached out to him for an amicable
resolution of the matter.

The counsel also stated that with the interference of the Panel,
it has shown that hope is not lost for the common man.

The counsel to the police, Bonnyface Asogwa has told the Panel
that the Inspector General of Police, has ordered all concerned
officers to ensure they handover the land to the petitioner as soon
as possible.

He then asked for a short adjournment to allow parties to tidy
up every documentation over the matter.

Counsel to the AIG Co-operative, Police College, Okey Barrah who
aligned himself with this request told the Panel that the team of
concerned officers had already visited the site and work is in
progress to ensure justice is done.