NHRC Panel To Hear 240 Petitions Against Police As Another #EndSARS Protest Looms

The Independent Investigation Panel on Allegations of Human Rights Violations by the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad and other Units of the Nigerian Police Force (IIP-SARS) has said it will resume sitting on Monday, amid possible EndSARS protests in parts of the country.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Deputy Director, Corporate Affairs and External Linkages, Fatimah Agwai Mohammed, disclosed this in a statement sent to THE WHISTLER, adding that since its last sitting in March “the panel did not sit for about six months following some logistics challenges.”

Our correspondent had earlier gathered that the panel could not sit because it was waiting for funds from the federal government so as to compensate victims, among other responsibilities.

As for the commission, the 11-Member panel chaired by Justice Suleiman Galadima (rtd) will listen to final written and oral addresses in eight petitions on Monday, thereby concluding the cases and adjourning for the panel’s report on them.

Mohammed revealed that the panel received 295 petitions since its establishment in November 2020.

She explained that “of the 55 concluded cases, 22 were either struck out by the panel or withdrawn by the petitions”, implying that 240 petitions are yet to be concluded.

She disclosed that “33 petitions were ready for the payment of compensations including other legal and administrative remedies in accordance with the relevant laws.”

The statement partly reads:

“So far the panel has brought hope to families, survivors and victim of human rights violations by the police given the fact that justice has already been served in a number of cases, thus rekindling people’s hope that the government indeed has not abandoned their Constitutional responsibility of ensuring a safe and secure environment that will enable the protection and enforcement of human rights by the NHRC and other relevant agencies of government including the Police.

“The IIP-SARS was set up by the federal government in November 2020 following the “End SARS Protests” which was triggered by nationwide allegations of Police brutality including unlawful detention, extra-judicial killings, torture, enforced disappearance, among others.”