On police brutality and extra-judicial killings: Nigeria will not progress if these persist — Director, CENTREP
Ogude Samuel Warri
The Executive Director of Centre for Vulnerable and Underprivileged (CENTREP) Oghenejabor Ikimi (Esq) lamented the cases of injustice meted on citizens being heard at the panel of inquiry on police brutality and extra judicial killings in Delta State at Governor’s House Annex, Warri saying, with this level of injustice, if it continues, it would be difficult for Nigeria to experience growth and development.
The Rights Activist stated this on Monday as he appeared for some of persons who were brutalised by the police in recent past which made the Delta State Governor Senato(Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa to set up the panel of inquiry.
He said he attended to two cases but quickly added, on his presentation, he was given counter affidavit which may contain new facts which were not in the documents he earlier prepared for, adding, he has to study it (Affidavit) saying, if need be, prepare another counter affidavit.
He however expressed surprise with the volume of cases and wondered how the country can move forward if the country were it to continue with the level of injustice.
He said, “l am surprised with the cases of injustice on Nigerians in this panel and wonder how the country can move forward if we continue like this.”
Barr. lkimi however expressed confidence on the panel saying it is doing a good job. He however said if the panel recommendation at the end of the panel is implemented by the state government, there would be peace, growth and development in Nigeria.
He said, “I like the panel, it is doing a job, it is bent and looking for the facts in cases to see what actually went wrong.”
The Rights Activist said one of the challenges in Nigeria in a panel such as this is that, at the end of the day, the recommendations are not implemented which is why problems which ought to have been solved keep on rearing its ugly head.
The panel which was held on Monday (yesterday) to hear CSP Eyo Enietie over his alleged involvement of the death of some persons in the recent past in the state saw many witnesses brought to dock by the panel for cross examination by the different counsels to their different clients.
It would be recalled that the state government under Senator(Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa has set up panel of inquiry into police brutality and extra judicial killings immediately after the EndSARS protests which rocked the country in recent past.
