Ogun: 5 Years On, Abiodun Snubs #EndSARS Report

A report of the Judicial Panel of Investigation on Police Brutality and Extra-Judicial killings set up by the Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, in the wake of the #ENDSARS protest in October, 2020, has not been implemented, five years after the sweeping nationwide demonstration, Daily Trust reports. A total of 42 victims filed petitions and […]

A report of the Judicial Panel of Investigation on Police Brutality and Extra-Judicial killings set up by the Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, in the wake of the #ENDSARS protest in October, 2020, has not been implemented, five years after the sweeping nationwide demonstration, Daily Trust reports.

A total of 42 victims filed petitions and testified before the Justice Solomon Olugbemi-panel which probed serial cases of Police Brutality and Extra-Judicial killings in Ogun State in 2020. While the panel sitting last, they narrated their chilling stories of deaths, blood, brain damage, spinal cord injuries, permanent disability, loss of means of livelihood and many more.

Daily Trust reports that the panel was a fall out of the #EndSARS protest that rocked Nigeria’s major cities like a wildfire in 2020.

The EndSARS protest, largely driven by Nigerian youths, challenged police brutality and the disbandment of the country’s Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) unit. The demands later extended to oppression, corruption and what they called systemic failure. The protest which began on October 8, 2020, later turned violent, leading to wanton killings and destruction of property nationwide.

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By 20 October, according to reports, at least 56 people were killed across the country, with about 38 killed in one day alone. Victims include protesters and thugs who were allegedly hired by the authorities to confront the protesters. Majority of the killings were recorded in Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Kano and Edo States.

In response to the protest, the National Executive Council (NEC) headed by then Vice President Yemi Osinbajo directed “the immediate establishment of State-based Judicial Panels of Inquiry across the country to receive and investigate complaints of police brutality or related extra-judicial killings with a view to delivering justice for all victims of the dissolved SARS and other police units.”

The Ogun Panel

Abiodun was one of the first governors to set the machinery in motion. He inaugurated the Olugbemi panel in October, 2020. The governor told the 9-member panel that “needless to remind you all of the import of your assignment to the continued peace and security of our dear State, in particular, and our great Nation, in general. The people of our dear State await the outcome of your assignment.”

The panel began its sitting on November 5. It had the mandate to turn in its report in six months. While the sitting lasted, petitioners told stories of horror which had sent many victims into oblivion.

The dead victims’ stories were told by the relatives who filed the petitions, others battling disabilities appeared on wheelchairs to share their experiences in the hands of men of the notorious police unit.

It was all gory and chilling experiences for them.

Olasunkanmi Fagbemi, appearing on a wheelchair, recounted how he was hit by the bullet of the police collecting N20 bribe on the road. The development left him crippled and dashed his hope of “naturally impregnating a lady.”

Seyi Akinade, a student of the Federal University of Agriculture (FUNAAB) killed himself after losing N7 million in forex trading following his arrest and illegal detention by SARS operatives, his mother, Funmilayo told the panel.

The mother, in her petition, said Seyi became depressed and drank a poisonous liquid later confirmed by a medical doctor to be the insecticide brand “sniper.”

A widow, Adebimpe Sobowale, told the panel that her husband was ‘tortured to death’ in police detention over a N200 airtime allegedly traced to her phone.

A weight lifter, Oluwasola Oladunjoye, recounted how a police officer, Gbenga Olajide, ‘slapped and stabbed’ him on his neck.

Oladunjoye, who came fourth in the 69kg weight lifting category while representing Nigeria in India in 2008, said the injury he suffered from the policeman denied him participation in the 2017 weight lifting festival in Cuba.

Panel Submitted Report, After 9 Months

Nine months after, Abiodun received the report of the panel with an assurance to implement the recommendations of the panel.

“I believe that the implementation of this report will end the gory experience often encountered by residents of the State,” the governor had said while receiving the report at the Executive Council Chamber, Oke Mosan, Abeokuta, in July 2021.

Abiodun hailed the panel members for their selfless efforts and contributions towards the successful completion of the task.

Olugbemi had disclosed that the Panel after its findings recommended a total payment of over N218m as compensation for 42 victims or families of victims of brutality and violation of human rights by Police and other security personnel in Ogun State.

Chairman added that the Panel also made recommendations for the investigation, discipline and where appropriate, prosecution of certain personnel to serve as deterrent and in the interest of justice.

Olugbemi revealed that the Panel received a total of 106 petitions, out of which 58 were treated and the remaining 48 were either withdrawn, rejected or abandoned wholly or half-way by the petitioners.

“The 289-page report captured the testimonies and evidences of gory details of torture, unjustifiable shootings, inhumane treatment and other forms of human rights abuses leading to brain damage, spinal cord injuries, permanent disability, death, loss of means of livelihood, unlawful seizure of personal properties and various forms of atrocities,” he had said.

We’ve Been Forgotten – Victims

Five years after the incident, some victims who spoke to Daily Trust said they had been forgotten by the government.

“We’re disappointed,” Olasunkanmi told Daily Trust. “Many years after the incidents we were hoping that we would be compensated. But we have not heard anything. We are just in the dark. We don’t even know if they still remember our case or not.”

Olasunkanmi, who said he was hit by police bullet of the police and left crippled, said the current economic challenges have compounded his woes.

“People me who is on wheelchair, the economic situation has made the matter worst. I couldn’t go out because of the cost of transportation,” he said.

He called on the government to dust up the report and implement it in order to give succour to the victims.

“My appeal to the governor is to show us mercy by revising the report and make adequate compensation. This will allow us pick our lives up and start afresh. We don’t want a situation whereby the government will be paying compensation after many victims are dead,” he said.

On his part, Oladunjoye also begged to governor pay the compensation.

“Things are getting worse. You know I have lost my wife. My kids have been away from school as we speak because I don’t have my money to their school fees. Many of us have spent huge on medical treatment after the incident and we need the compensation to start life afresh,” he told Daily Trust.

Kamol Ganiyu, who was shot in the leg in Abeokuta, also begged Abiodun for mercy.

“I wanted to travel out that time but it couldn’t work. My mum has sold her car and other properties over the treatment. The government should please revisit the report and pay the compensation accordingly,” he said.

Abiodun Lacks Political Will To Implement Report – Panel Member

Speaking with Daily Trust, a member of the panel, Yinka Folarin, expressed concern over delay in the implementation of the report.

Folarin, Vice President of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, CDHR, said the governor either lacks the political will to implement the report or was ill-advised.

Folarin said “I know we recommended about N216m to be paid to victims of violation. It’s a sad one that the government has refused to implement that report despite putting resources, tax payers money into the investigation. Also, the time we sacrificed.

“For the victims of violation or police brutality, we recommended compensation worth about N216m. We also recommended disciplinary actions for some of the officers who were found culpable. There were other measures we advised the federal and state governments to put in place to deter further violation of human rights.

“I think it’s just lack of political will because we saw that Lagos State Government made some efforts and compensated some victims and families. But up till today in Ogun State, we don’t know but I feel, probably, some persons advised Mr Governor wrongly and he lacks the political will to implement that report.”

Government keeps mum

When contacted, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Information and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, said he did not have an information on the report.

He, however, promised to reach out to the “right agency” and get back to our correspondent.

The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Oluwaseun Ogungbade, also did not respond to calls from our correspondent, as his phone rang out repeatedly.

He also did not reply to a WhatsApp message requesting his comments on the delayed implementation of the report.