Stanley Ihedigbo
Anambra State Government has been asked to immediately provide the State Panel on alleged Police brutality with necessary logistics for the panelists to complete their assignments and attend to over 300 outstanding petitions.
Human Rights, Liberty Access and Peace Defenders’Foundation (HURIDE), made the call in a statement made available to newsmen in Awka, Anambra State this weekend and signed by its Executive Director Dede Uzor A Uzor, also called on the Government to extend the sitting period and days of the panel to allow them complete the hearing as well as do a thorough job.
Uzor said the extension has become necessary following the deluge of petitions which the panel received and were yet to be attended to.
Against this backdrop:”We demand the immediate payment of the panelists’ allowances, increase of their sitting allowances, provisions of adequate security for the panelists as these will not only ease their work but ensure impartial recommendation by the panelists.
He noted that the panel was set up by the State Government in compliance with the directive of National Economic Council on October 15, 2020.
“The committee was however inaugurated on 20th October 24 with retired Justice Veronica Ngozi Umeh as chairman and Dr. (Mrs.), Rita Onyeka as the Secretary. As at Thursday December 3, 2020 the penal has received 264 petitions and has attended to only 38 Petitions.
“About 10 petitions have been concluded, while some may be dismissed due to the fact that they are already in courts and others are connected with military brutality which the penal lack jurisdiction to handle. As at their last sitting on December 10 2020 , the panel has more than 300 outstanding petitions, the highest in the country, he further noted.
Uzor urged Gov Obiano to fulfil his promises to the panelists by realising part of N200 million to enable them tackle some logistic challenges.
