▪️ … As Police manhandle journalists, bodies condemn practice
Following the EndSARS protests (against police brutality and extra judicial killings) that erupted in Nigeria and the consequent breakdown of law and order leading to the loss of lives and property last year, the federal government through the National Economic Council, NEC, approved the setting up of judicial panel of inquiry in all the states affected to look into the remote and immediate causes of the protests and recommend measures of “healing the wounds” occasioned by the unrest.
Various states set up theirs and inaugurated same. On the October 21, 2021, Enugu Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Police Brutality and Other Related Extra Judicial Killings, was inaugurated.
Today, Thursday, October 21, 2021, makes it exactly one year the judicial panel was inaugurated for Enugu State, and as at the time of filing this report, their is not much else known about the panel and their activities. It appears this is yet another effort in futility and, time and resources wasted, information available to GMTNews seems to suggest.
GMTNews gathered that about 147 petitions were received by the panel, while their Chairman is alleged to have refused the panel to rule on petitions with questions on jurisdiction so aggrieved party could take any other course of action if deemed necessary.
Speaking to GMTNews, Comrade Osmond Ugwu, representing civil society on the panel said: “Enugu Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Police Brutality and Other Related Extra Judicial Killings in Enugu state was inaugurated on 21st October. 2020 I am one of the members representing Civil Society.
“The panel has not submitted any report.
“No petition was investigated and no witness was heard by the panel.
“Panel members have been directed to submit record books without concluding hearing of all petitions.
“I47 petitions were received, out of which only 64 were adopted, about 26 were transferred to Administrative Panel, over 40 who submitted their petitions were not mentioned by the Secretary before the panel, hence they are not contained in the record of the panel.
“Petitions submitted through the email addresses were not printed and presented to the panel members by the secretary.
“The chairman refused the panel to rule on petitions where there were questions of jurisdiction to enable aggrieved party appeal if deemed necessary and receive judgement before the panel winds up.
Comrade Osmond Ugwu
“Funds approved and released to the Secretary for logistics and publicity were diverted to (for) personal use.
“Many petitioners and respondents were not served with processes for complaints for lack of money while money and vehicle were provided for them.
“Any report submitted by Enugu Judicial Panel without investigstion will run contrary to the terms of reference.
These allegations coming from a member of the panel, if found to be true, will rubbish the image of the panel and may taint Enugu State Government as it concerns assuaging the harsh feelings that necessitated the protests.
Meanwhile, Police in Enugu Wednesday (yesterday) refused Civil Society Organizations and the Youth from observing the EndSARS memorial in the state, preventing them from accessing venues earmarked for the memorial activities. A BBC reporter and undisclosed number of youths were reported to have been rough handled by the police at Okpara Square.
In a telephone chat with GMTNews, Mrs. Ebere Agu-Ekeopara, BBC Igbo reporter, confirmed to our correspondent an ugly experience she had while covering a “Peaceful Match” by some youths in memory of victims of the 2020 EndSARS protests.
GMTNews reliably gathered that the reporter was harassed and forced to sit on the bare floor and her camera, microphone 🎙️ and tripod taken away from her.
When asked by GMTNews editor about the veracity of the report, Ebere said: “… well, it’s true, it was in the morning when some people were doing the EndSARS protest. I was covering the peaceful protest…they (Police) surrounded us. They took my camera, my tripod and my microphone, everything. They told us to all sit on the floor, which we did.
“After their harassment…after sometime, I showed them my ID card, they allowed me to go, but they took some of the boys.
When asked whether her work tools were returned, she responded that “yes, when they returned my camera and tripod and said that I should leave, I refused to go because I didn’t see my microphone. They had to go back to their Hilux (van) where they kept it and gave it to me and said I should leave immediately. I had to leave because of the way they are armed and how they look.”
Another impeccable source told our correspondent that “in the early hours of today, (yesterday) the owners of Centre for Memories, the venue we had concluded arrangements to use called us to cancel our use of the place, saying the decision was as a result of Police order for our group not to be allowed the use the venue.”
Corroborating the earlier report, a youth leader, Mr. Success Obum told GMTNews that about 10 minutes from their point of take off on a peaceful procession, about 14 security operatives vans surrounded them and forced them to sit on bare ground, confiscating their flex banners and placards.
“We matched from Press Centre, opposite crunches, with our banner with the inscription – “May the souls of the young persons killed unjustly while the pursuit of a better nation rest in the bosom of the Lord”, they (police) with 14 vehicles fully armed, and soldiers surrounded us.
“While the BBC was interviewing me, they collected the microphone and asked all of us to sit on the floor.
“They collected the banner, collected the flyers (placards) which is what we wanted government to do, that justice should be given to the victims.
“Later on they said we should all leave there immediately. That the state authorities did not approve such. They chased us away and collected all that we came with. They took (arrested) 2 people but later released within minutes.
“My message, what we told them today is that let there be justice, justice should be given to the victims, not only the victims but including the police.
“The delay of the panel that was set up in Enugu is becoming too much. I have contacted some of the members of the panel and they are not giving me any positive reply. They should have come up with something by now.
“This is one year and they are not doing anything serious, they should be serious and people involved should be compensated.
“And the police should stop harassing people. What we protested for last year, the police are still doing them up till now”, he concluded.
In a similar development, in a press release, the International Press Center, IPC, condemned what it called “attack on journalists and #EndSARS activists at one-year anniversary…”, noting that it marked an “unfortunate and condemnable repeat of the assault on the media during the #EndSars protests in October last year.”
Olutoyin Ayoade,
Communications Officer, IPC, in the statement said: “Legit.ng Online reporter, Abisola Alawode was arrested at the Lekki Toll Plaza while PM News correspondent, Taiwo Okanlawon and the Arise TV crew of Adefemi Akinsanya and Ope Adenihun were beaten and harassed at the same venue. The Arise TV crew were also illegally ordered to pull down the drone they were using to cover the event. Policemen also barred The Punch Newspaper correspondent, Adebimpe Olajiga, from covering the protest and in Osogbo, Daily Post correspondent, Sikiru Obarayase, was arrested during the anniversary match in the state capital.
“The attacks on the journalists mark an unfortunate and condemnable repeat of the assault on the media during the #EndSars protests in October last year.
“‘It is highly regrettable the security agencies continue to fail to recognise journalists as frontline workers during crisis situations”, Executive Director of IPC, Mr. Lanre Arogundade, said in a statement.
“According to Mr. Arogundade the actions of the policemen pose major threat to the ability of the media to serve as societal watchdog and hold government accountable to the people.
“Mr. Arogundade said it was equally wrong for the Police to arrest and detain the #EndSars protesters describing the action as a clear violation of the right to peacefully assemble and protest.
“The combined effect of the repression of the journalists, media professionals and #EndSars activists is that the democratic space is being undermined by the government through the security agencies.”
In a statement, the U.S Mission Nigeria appreciated the efforts of the judicial panels and expressed the hope that their recommendations would be accepted and compensation paid.
“Today (yesterday) is a day to reflect on the loss of life and property during last year’s #EndSARS protests. We appreciate the work done by the various judicial panels and look forward to the implementation of recommendations and compensation to victims of police brutality. We support ongoing police reform efforts. We encourage those who demonstrated for change to engage politically to achieve it”.
