By Victor Ogunje
The Ekiti State Judicial Panel of Inquiry probing into issues of human rights abuses allegedly perpetrated by the police and other allied matters in the state, has recommended aggregate payment of N1.5 million as compensation to six petitioners, who brought their cases before the panel.
The panel at its resumed sitting Wednesday and presided over by the Chairman , Justice Cornileus Akintayo, took the decisions as part of its resolutions to ameliorate the sufferings of the victims.
In the case of Inspector Omokhua Benjamin, whose car was vandalised when some hoodlums attacked Ikere police station during the EndSARS protest, the panel recommended N400,000.00 as compensation for him.
It also approved a sum of N50,000.00 for Omokhua’s personal property that were destroyed at the Afao police station official quarters, Ikere Ekiti.
The panel also recommended a compensation of N400,000 for Inspector Yakubu Aminu, for his damaged Golf 3 car with registration Number AG828KER which was burnt by the EndSARS protesters.
In the case of Inspector Alabi Samuel, the panel recommended that the complainant be compensated with a sum of N170,000, for his stolen motorcycle put at N100,000 and other property valued at N70,000.
Also, in the case of one Ojo Michael, the panel recommended that he should be compensated with a sum of N242,00 instead of N5million being requested to repair his vehicle vandalized on 20th October, 2020 on his way to his house at Afao, Kajola, Ikere Ekiti by hoodlums during the ENDSARS protest.
Justice Akintayo also recommended a sum of N142,000 as compensation to one Adekola Olawale, a cameraman to purchase his damaged camera and medical bill , having been beaten by hoodlums during the protest.
The Chairman ordered that a sum.of N130,000 be paid to Mr Kolawole Adesina to repair his damaged vehicle.
The panel, however , recommended that “current particulars of the vehicles and motorcycles should be made a condition precedent for the payment of the recommended amounts.
“It is regrettable that the complainants were driving the vehicles and motorcycles for four years without valid and current vehicle particulars”.
