Ekiti govt ready to pay N7.2m in compensation to victims of #ENDSARS

The Ekiti Government will pay N7.2 million in compensation to 24 petitioners in 14 days, Commissioner for Justice, Olawale Fapohunda, has said.

Fapohunda made this known during a visit to the panel sitting in Ado Ekiti, on Friday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that on December 30, 2020, the panel recommended the amount as compensation to some victims who complained about different forms of injustices and destruction to their properties during the October EndSARS protests.

"Gov. Kayode Fayemi will not wait until the panel submits it’s final report before processing the implementation of the recommendations.
"The compensation which will be paid within the next 14 days. We are happy to announce today that the process has begun. We are renewing our process to strengthening our Departments to respond to Human Rights Violations, the Governor has also directed a holistic review of our Criminal Laws to review the cases of victims of our Criminal Justice System”.

“The State executive council have approved the Ekiti victim charter Bill for onward transmission to the House of Assembly”, he stressed further.

"The Executive Council has approved the payment of compensations so far in the ongoing inquiry to 24 petitioners recommended by the panel to receive N7.2 which includes seven Police Officers who suffered loses in the course of their duty,” he said.

Responding, the Chairman of the Panel, rtd Justice Cornelius Akintayo, said that the panel received 85 petitions between November 2, 2020, and December 1, 2020.

Justice Akintayo said 24 petitions were struck out, or inadmissible for lack of jurisdiction, lack of diligent prosecution, and withdraw of petitions by petitioners.

He said 27 recommendations have been issued while eleven (11) petitions are still on-going for trial.