Civil Liberties Organization CLO Anambra State Branch has made passionate appeal to Anambra State governor Prof.Charles Soludo to implements without further delay report of Hon.Justice Veronica Ngozi Umeh led Anambra State Judicial Panel of Enquiry on Police Brutality and Other Related Matters summited to former governor Chief Willie Obiano few days toward the end of his tenure on 15th February 2021.
The panel report was received on behalf of the governor by then Secretary to the State government Professor Solo Chukwudebelu.
It will be recall that there was unprecedented and devastating protests across the country over brutality of State Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) across the country that led to death of many protesters and youths on 20th October 2020. Federal government in her wisdom directed various state governments to constitutes Judicial Panel to look into various SARS abuses, atrocities,killings, injustices and brutalities and proffer adequate compensations for the victims and prosecution of perpetrators.
His Excellency then Chief Willie Obiano constituted 42 members of Judicial Panel,made up men and women of impeccable character and integrity with unblemish Hon. Justice Veronica Ngozi Umeh as the chairman.
To the glory of God, the panel summited comprehensive and well articulated report that if judiciously and transparently implemented will assuage the pains, agony, sufferings and predicaments of the victims and their families as well as rekindled people’s hope and confidence in government.
It is no longer news and new that the state received highest number of petitions 310 through out the country.
There were high expectations from victims, families, petitioners, Anambrarians and Nigerians on the reports of the panel and how the victims will be compensated and culprits prosecuted in tandem with Federal Government directive and motive behind constituting the panel as well as to forestall future occurrences.
Pertinently the panel recommended six hundred and ninety nine million to the petitioners and dismissed some due to lack of purview of terms of reference for the panel.
The petitioners,their counsels and Anambrarians has been lamenting that is Anambra Judicial Panel Report merely academic excercise
and efforts to douse political tension.
CLO made this passionate appeal in a press statement issued to newsmen tagged “justice could only be served when the unaffected are as outraged as those affected endorsed by Evangelist Comrade Vincent Ezekwueme Chairman and Comrade Chidi Mbah Secretary reiterated their earlier appeal to Gov.Soludo to urgently constitutes Committee to articulate government White Paper on the reports and commence it’s implementations and payment of outstanding allowances of the Chairman and members of the panel to protect both the image, integrity of the government, the panel chairman and members.
All eyes are on Anambra as without implementations of the Judicial Panel Reports and payment of compensations to the petitioners,the committees report will be relentless efforts without effect, petitioners and their counsels efforts will as well be fruitless efforts.
There is no doubt in our minds that patriotic and transparent implementations of the panel report will improved security, protection of human rights, public interest and socioeconomic justice.
This is only way and means to ameliorates and assuage the victims, petitioners,satisfy their legal representatives and citizens CLO maintained.
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