The Ekiti State 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.
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.
”Governor Kayode Fayemi will not wait until the panel submits it’s final report before processing the implementation of the recommendations.
”The compensation 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.
”The Executive Council has approved the payment of compensations so far in the on-going inquiry to 24 petitioners recommended by the panel to receive N7.2M which includes seven Police Officers who suffered loss in the course of their duty,” he said.
Responding, the Chairman of the Panel, rtd Justice Cornelius Akintayo, said 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 withdrawal of petitions by petitioners.
He said 27 recommendations have been issued while eleven (11) petitions are still on-going for trial.
