Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has assured that his administration will implement the recommendations of the EndSARS Judicial Panel of Inquiry set up in the state to investigate allegations of police brutality and also pay 190 million Naira compensation to victims.
The Governor who made this assurance at an interactive meeting with various youth bodies and organisers of the EndSARS protest in Benin City also announced a cash sum of one million Naira each for two persons who sustained bullet wounds in the course of the protest last year, promising to take up their medical bills.
October 2020, the EndSARS protests rocked most states in Nigeria as youths called for the disbandment of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, and an end to all forms of police brutality.
The same month, a directive was given by the Federal Government for states to set up Judicial Panels of Inquiry to address salient issues raised at the protests.
July 2021, the Edo State Panel submitted its report to Governor Obaseki.
Present at the meeting are two victims, Ohima Steven and Miracle Ailenokhoria, who received gunshot wounds during the EndSARS protests.
Some of the youths informed the Governor that cases of human rights abuses still occur under the guise of combating crime.
To check criminal tendencies, they suggested the reintroduction of voluntary youth clubs in public schools as a means of engaging the young ones positively, a suggestion Obaseki assured will be considered.