You Have Gone ‘ Beyond And Above’ What We Expect From EndSARS Panel– Makinde

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on Wednesday, received the report of the Oyo State Judicial Panel of Inquiry into Police Brutality and Other Related Matters set up by the state following the #ENDSARS protests that rocked the country late in 2020.

The governor, who promised quick implementation of some of the recommendations also asked the Commissioner of Police in the state to compile the names of policemen killed during the EndSARS protests.

The governor in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary , Taiwo Adisa, also said that the state would provide automatic scholarship to 23-year-old Samuel Ogundeji, who was falsely accused of stealing a banker’s wallet and was brutalised by men of the defunct SARS, which resulted into his blindness.

He commended the Justice Badejoko Adeniji-led Panel for paying the first semester fee, accommodation, feeding and clothing needs of a 23-year-old man, who was brutalised by the SARS and blinded, noting that the state government will give automatic scholarship to the young man.

He assured the panel that their efforts would not be in vain and that the government would soon implement some of the recommendations.

Makinde said, “Another thing that struck me was what your Panel did for Samuel Ogundeji, the 23-year-old young man. You paid for his first semester fee. You have really gone over and above what we expected you to do. You saw a vacuum and filled it immediately. The essence of all of these is not just to apportion blames but to ensure that when problems are identified, they are solved and also look at the future to ensure that we move away from this kind of thing.

“What we will do as a government is to follow that lead and ensure that the boy is granted automatic scholarship by the Oyo State government, which will cover his tuition fees and also stipends throughout his study.

“There are also other achievements that were recorded by this Panel. So, I want to thank you. I can give you the assurance that the report would not gather dust, as I will ensure that the one that is going to Federal Government will be dispatched immediately so that they can start dealing with it out there. “

The governor equally stated that there will be restitution to the families of policemen slain during the crisis, noting that if the panel’s recommendations did not cover that area, the Commissioner of Police in the state should come up with an addendum to that effect.

He added, “I listened to your speech and read through the recommendation. Some policemen were killed. These officers were killed at Ojoo and Iseyin. They are Nigerians as well, though they wear uniforms, so restitution has to go to their families. I don’t know if there are recommendations on this, but if there are no recommendations, we need to find a way to do that.

“I would have expected also that the police would have come forward to say they are victims. If they did not come forward, I will still love to see an addendum.

“The Commissioner of Police should also compile that so that we can also take it alongside the main report.

“I don’t want us to behave as if lives of our police officers are not as important as those of others on the street.

“So, we will look at that. I want to give you the assurance that your work will not be in vain. ‘You will see very soon actions being taken towards meeting those recommendations.”

The chairman of the panel, Justice Adeniji (retd.), said that the panel received 151 petitions, stating that 121 petitions were heard to finality and were adjourned sine die for award of compensations while 30.werw struck out.