#EndSARS Lagos Panel grants N91m compensation to 16 petitioners

The Lagos State Judicial Panel on Restitution for Police brutality and abuses by operatives of the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigeria Police has awarded N91 million to 16 petitioners.

Details of the awarded compensations by the panel include families of late Eric Okwaji, late Gregory Egwu, late Felix lucky, late Ayuub Azeez and late Charles otoo, awarded N10 million each for the unlawful killings of their loved ones by SARS and other police operatives.

15-year-old Mariam Shobukola was paid N8 million for being hit by a stray bullet in February 2020.

Other petitioners received cheques ranging from N1 million to N9 million.

The panel dismissed one petition for lack of merit –Michael Okoli lost his petition, which was dismissed for lack of merit.

The panel further handled petitions from 13 serving police officers, including ACP Gbolahan Olugbeyi, who is in charge of Area J Police Station, destroyed by hoodlums in October 2021. ACP Olugbeyi said he was shot in the leg, saying he relied on traditional medicine for treatment.

Meanwhile, Lagos State government has launched a campaign to prevent the planned one year anniversary of the #EndSARS protest, essentially, the #Lekkitollgate shooting on the evening of October 20, 2020, by security operatives.