Lawyer threatens to sue Ondo over failure to release #EndSARS panel report

Tope Temokun, a lawyer, has asked the Ondo state government to release a panel report on police brutality.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Temokun said two years after a panel of inquiry was set up to investigate police brutality in Ondo, the report was yet to be released or implemented after it was submitted to Rotimi Akeredolu, Ondo governor, on April 28, 2021.

Temokun asked the Ondo state government to urgently release the report and implement its recommendations.

The lawyer said the panel received 77 petitions from members of the public who had suffered police brutality and recommended the payment of N755 million in compensation to victims.

He said the eight-man judicial panel of inquiry chaired by Adesola Sidiq, a retired justice, constituted on October 20, 2020, did not only recommend payment of monetary compensation to victims, but also demanded publication of apologies in national dailies in deserving cases.

“It was such a beautiful report and it would serve the interest of justice if allowed to see the light of the day. Sadly, three years after, the panel report has not been released nor has it been implemented,” he said. 

“Victims appeared before the panel with high hopes.

“Under the Commission of Inquiry Law of Ondo State, the governor has a duty imposed by law, after receiving the reports of commission of inquiries set up.

“The law is not for fun. Putting up such huge exercise by law is not also a joke.

“The duty imposed on the governor is a serious one. And it does not include keeping away or hiding such report from the public. The duty includes the releasing of the report to members of the public.”

The lawyer said not releasing the panel report is “illegal, immoral and it is an unpardonable sin against humanity”.

He said the purpose of the panel report was to ensure that justice was done to victims of police brutality, extra-judicial killings and infringement of the fundamental human rights of the people.

Temokun threatened to go to court to enforce the release of the report if the government fails to do so.

In the wake of the #EndSARS protests against police brutality in October 2020, the national executive council (NEC) directed all state governments to put in place panels of inquiry to look into rampant allegations of abuse.

Subsequently, various panels were inaugurated across the states of the federation.

While some states have released their reports and implemented recommendations, many others are yet to do so.