Ugbekun: Owner of police station building razed by EndSARS protesters, demands N40m compensation

By Eunice Odigie, Benin City

A 88-year-old owner of the storey building housing the Ugbekun Police Station at Upper Sokponba road, razed down by hoodlums who hijacked the #EndSARS protest, Pa Olaye Anthony, yesterday, asked the Edo State Judicial Panel of Inquiry for victims of SARS and related abuses for compensation of N40 million.

Speaking with Journalists, Counsel to the petitioner, Blessing Agbeta, said his client chose to approach the panel for a redress because the building serves as a retirement benefit for him and now that it’s no more, he wonders how he could cope.

He said if the government could help him rebuild the burnt building, he would be happy or altenatively, the government should give him N40 million as compensation stating that such amount would compensate for his losses.

“The house in question, is like a retirement benefit for the old man.

“At the age of 88, that is where he earns money to take care of himself.

“We are just begging the panel if they can help us talk to the governor to rebuild the place or in the alternative, compensate him so that he can have a good living pending when the Lord God will call him to glory,” he said.

He further alleged that the police have been occupying the building since 1983 and that they are owing him N3.60 million.

“The police have been occupying his building since 1983 and they are owing him N3.60 million,” he alleged.