Delta Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has assured his administration would support families of victims of police brutality and extra-judicial killings in the state.
He gave the assurance while receiving report of the State’s Judicial Panel of Inquiry into complaints of police brutality and extra-judicial killings at Government House, Asaba.
The Governor said his administration would consider and implement decisions of the panel and urged the police to see the civil populace as partner in intelligence-gathering rather than antagonists.
He assured the recommendations would be looked into by the State’s Executive Council, and that justice would be done as much as possible.
He pointed out that no amount of monetary compensation would bring back lost lives and advised the Police to always be cautious when dealing with human lives.
He thanked Chairman of the panel and members for their painstaking effort in the discharge of the assignment, adding that he was glad that Deltans came out to lay their complaints before the committee.
“The fact that we have accepted that something went wrong could help the families heal and we need to lend a helping hand to them.
“I was waiting to see the report and know the extent to which our people have really suffered in the hands of security agencies before setting up the human rights complaints team.
“Whatever is being done is not to scrap the Police because we believe that many of them are doing their jobs. In fact, we have to find way to strengthen and encourage them,” he stated.
The Governor added it was not unknown many policemen work in difficult circumstances, sometimes without equipment to be able to effectively do their jobs.
He however said that such situation did not give room for people to abuse their offices.
“Therefore Chairman of the Judicial Panel of Inquiry, Justice Celestina Ogisi (Rtd), presented the panel’s report and thanked the Governor for finding the members worthy to serve.
She recalled the Panel was inaugurated on October 9, 2020, to receive and inquire into complaints of police brutality and extra-judicial killings in the state, evaluate evidence presented and draw conclusions as to the validity of the complaint(s), and recommend compensation and other remedial measures.
According to her, the Panel commenced work immediately after inauguration by calling for memoranda from interested members of the public and held public sitting at Asaba and Warri.
“In total, the Panel received 86 petitions and 49 were heard on merit while 37 were struck out for various reasons.
“The Panel also received 10 petitions which sought the enforcement of judgments of various High Courts of the State against the Police for acts of Police brutality and extra-judicial killings.
“The Panel recommended the payment of compensation to victims and/or their families for various acts of Police brutality and extra-judicial killings in Delta State.
“We also recommended the enforcement of all judgment debts awarded against the Police, which they have refused to obey till date,” Justice Ogisi stated.
