The Rivers state government has asked the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to compensate victims of brutality involving its officers.
Speaking with journalists on Wednesday after the state executive council meeting presided over by Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers, Zacchaeus Adangor, attorney-general and commissioner for justice, said the decision was taken after the five-man judicial commission of inquiry on police brutality in the state submitted its report to the council.
He said the committee investigated brutality and violation of fundamental human rights of citizens by officers of the disbanded federal special anti-robbery squad (FSARS) in the state.
Adangor said the council approved the establishment of public defenders department in all the 23 LGAs in the state to make access to justice easier for indigent residents who cannot afford to retain services of lawyers.
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“Executive Council has already accepted the conclusion of the white paper committee that compensation payable to victims of police brutality should be paid by police officers who were found culpable, or by police authorities because in law there is no way you can hold the state (Rivers) accountable for the acts of police officers who are not agents of the state,” Adangor said.
“The public defender essentially undertakes litigation on behalf of indigent litigants who cannot afford to retain the services of legal practitioners. And so, the executive council has directed the attorney-general to ensure that counsel in the Rivers state ministry of justice are posted to the 23 LGAs to man the office of the public defenders.
“The attorney-general has been directed to publish a white paper containing the conclusion of the governor of Rivers state on recommendations of the commission of inquiry, and to transmit that white paper to the authorities of the Nigerian police for necessary action, because the commission of inquiry had made several findings implicating some police officers in the serial acts of brutality and violence against citizens of this country, including the very notorious Akin Fakorode.”
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