#EndSARs: Ebonyi Judiciary panel receives 62 petitions

The Ebonyi Judicial Panel of Inquiry investigating alleged police brutality and other related extra-judicial killings on Tuesday confirmed receipt of 62 petitions.

The Chairman of the panel, retired Justice Alloy Nwankwo, made the confirmation while addressing newsmen in Abakaliki.

It was recalled that the eight-member panel was inaugurated by Gov. David Umahi on Oct. 20, in line with the Federal Government’s directive to meet the demands by the EndSARS protesters.

“In total, we have received 62 petitions as at March 4, in Ebonyi,” he said

Nwankwo said of the 62 petitions, the panel had dispensed with 19.

He said: “40 petitions are part-heard while three are yet to be heard, but already slated for hearing.”

He listed some of the challenges his panel was faced with to include abandonment of petitions by petitioners, failure of witnesses to appear before it and paucity of fund.

“There are petitions that have been stroked and abandoned due to lack of testifiers,” he added.

The chairman hailed the Federal Government’s decision on the constitution of the panel, saying that the panel in the state was working hard to deliver on its mandate responsibly.

According to him, the panel has been dispensing justice with fairness to all who suffered one form of harassment or the other in the hands of police operatives, irrespective of age, religion and ethnicity.