Obaseki promises N190m to victims of police brutality

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has said his government would pay N190 million to victims of police brutality in the state.

The amount was recommended by the Judicial Panel of Inquiry constituted by the state government to investigate police brutality and other human rights abuses by the disbanded police Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) unit of the Nigeria Police Force.

The governor also paid N1million each to two victims of the EndSARS protests, Ohima Steven and Miracle Ailenokhoria.

Obaseki, who gave the assurance during a meeting with youths from the 18 local government areas of the state in Benin City, said his administration would do all within its power to implement the 15 recommendations of the panel.

“The two young men brought here today as victims of the EndSARS protest will get N1 million each to ease their pains. I am working with the commissioner for health to pay for their continuous treatment,” Obaseki said.

He added: “I set up a panel to investigate cases of police brutality against the people. The panel has done its work and submitted its report.

Read also: #EndSARS protest: How best to mitigate the losses at least in the future

“In summary, 117 petitions were received, 25 of them were struck out while 10 were dismissed. The panel recommended compensation to be paid to victims totaling N190 million, while the amount of judgment sum recommended being enforced was N98 million. I have accepted that we will pay those who were victims; we are not waiting for anybody, not even the Federal Government.

“There should be a regular promotion for the police when it’s due, enforcement of welfare package, training and re-training of police officers, upward review of salaries, yearly mental evaluation and quarterly tests for hard drugs.”

According to him, the panel also recommended that youths should be encouraged in the area of agriculture, entrepreneurship, empowerment, girl-child education, provision of annual state scholarship, and building recreation centres, among others.

Obaseki, while noting that Edo youths are the greatest resources of the state, said the government has provided opportunities for youths in the last five years with emphasis on youth empowerment.

“What we have done with primary one to six, through the EdoBEST programme, is going to be extended to junior secondary schools, placing emphasis on practical training at the junior level.

“We are working out scholarship schemes and students’ low-interest arrangements to enable our students to have cheap interest loans to go to school. We are rebuilding our School of Nursing, School of Agriculture, and College of Education. This is to ensure the training of a new generation of teachers,” he said.

Solomon Idiogbe, a representative of the youths, commended Obaseki for the improved security across the state, urging him to engage more youths as a means of checking cultism in the state.