Yiaga Africa Urges State Govts to Complete Panel Sittings, Release Reports, Implement Demands

• Citizens’ observers deployed by Yiaga Africa to the #EndSARS Judicial Panels of Inquiry have been given weekly updates
• The initiative which is in partnership with Enough is Enough revealed that over 2791 petitions were submitted across the 29 states and the FCT
• Yiaga Africa has now urged the state governments to complete their panel sittings, release reports and implement the demands

FCT, Abuja - Yiaga Africa has urged state governments across the country to round up their judicial panels on the #EndSARS protests, release the reports and implement the demands of the Nigerian youths regarding police brutality in the country.

The foremost civil society organisation made the demand on Friday, October 15 in a statement sent to Legit.ng to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the social movement which triggered series of mass protests against police brutality in Nigeria.

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Part of the statement signed by Cynthia Mbamalu, director of programs, Yiaga Africa, read:

“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. 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.

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“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.

“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. Yiaga Africa calls on the other states where the panels have concluded their sittings to release the Judicial Panels of Inquiry reports and make them available to the public.

“As we mark one year of the #EndSARS protest this October, Yiaga Africa calls on the state governments where panels have been suspended to resume sitting and conclude the hearings.

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“We also call on both the federal and state governments 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.”

Federal government's public advisory against street protests

Legit.ng had earlier reported that an advisory on public protests by the National Economic Council (NEC) advised against public protests.

The NEC noted that such protests could give rise to another round of violence as they might be hijacked by thugs and hoodlums like the October 2020 experience.

The council also reminded the organisers of the protest that the federal government has already taken the following steps to address the grievances that led to the 2020 incident.

Source: Legit.ng