The Lagos State judicial panel on restitution for victims of SARS related abuses and other matters continued it’s sitting into petitions today Saturday 27th February, 2021.
In about 4 petitions of the day involving the Nigeria army and the Nigeria police, the matters were adjourned to enable the hospitals who treated the alleged victims conclude their evidence in Chief with the submission of the case notes of victims as exhibits, but due to the non conclusion of the hospitals testimony with the necessary documents, the panel adjourned the cases to a date when the information required from the hospitals would be available and counsels would be contacted.
In another petition of the day involving Philemon Lucky vs the Nigeria police force and the Nigeria Army, the petitioner a #EndSARS protester gave his evidence in Chief in which he stated that he was shot by the military on the left leg at the Lekki tollgate plaza on the 20th of October, 2020 and had it amputated after spending 32 days in the hospital. He claimed he was shot at about 7-8pm by the military on the fateful day.
But during cross examination, the counsel told the petitioner that he claimed to be from Kajuru LG in Kaduna state, but that he is from Plateau state, he then agreed but stated that he grew up in Kaduna State.
Also the petitioner stated that he was admitted to the Reddington hospital Lekki at about 9-10pm on the 20th October, 2020, but the counsel through the petitioner case notes obtained from the hospital countered that the petitioner was admitted to the hospital at 11.30pm after he was shot at, 30 minutes before his admission which questions his testimony of being shot by the military at the Lekki tollgate plaza.
In his prayers before the panel, the petitioner a #EndSARS protester is asking the Lagos judicial panel to award him compensation to the tune of $50, 000 for an artificial limb, N1.5 million naira for psychological evaluation, N5 million naira for subsequent medical care and N200 million naira for inconvenience, loss of limb and to build a new life.
However, the panel adjourned the matter to a date to be communicated to counsels based on the hospital in question that treated the victim supplying the panel the case notes.
In the petition of Victoria Oniru & 5 ors vs the Nigeria police force and the Nigeria Army, a witness, a #EndSARS protester and a coordinator at the Lekki tollgate protest ground Dabira Adeyinka narrated how the military stormed the protest ground on the 20th of October, 2020 at about 6.45pm and fired gun shots into the air and at protesters who were seated on the ground chanting the Nigeria Anthem while waving the flag as advised, allegedly killing and injuring some of them.
The petitioner then went on to state how another round of shooting was heard about an hour or so later after she left the tollgate protest ground of which she didn’t know those responsible because she wasn’t on ground and even continued on the next day in the morning. However the panel adjourned the petition to 20th March 2021 for cross examination of the witness.
In another petition of Mr. Endurance Omonyahuy & Mr. Sikiru Amusa vs federal special anti robbery squad (FSARS) the case was struck out because it was still ongoing before the court of appeal, the panel stated in unambiguous terms that inteferring in the matter would amount to judicial rascality.
However the petition of the family of late Miss Jessica Adeobi Ojide vs federal special anti robbery squad (FSARS) and Mr. Emmanuel Ajomafuwe vs the Nigeria police force, the petition was adjourned to 19th March, 2021 due to non service of summons on a critical witness.
In the last petition of the day involving Saliu Akapo Adekunle vs the Nigeria police force, the petitioner narrated how policemen shot and killed his brother in a gruesome manner at Aradagun Badagry on the 12th of July, 2019.
He stated how the whole crisis that resulted in the killing of his brother’s life arose over disputed ownership of the Aradagun land between his family and Akoanu Zunnu family in which after being awarded ownership of the land through a court judgement, the other party through the Nigeria police force and hoodlums unleashed terror on the town of Aradagun Badagry.
The petitioner apart from seeking compensation is also asking the panel to order a review of the remuneration of police officers to prevent them from being used to dabble into civil matters outside their purview.
The panel adjourned the matter to 13th March, 2021 for cross examination of the petitioner.
