Lorine Emenike
Legal practitioners from Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State are calling on State judicial Commission of inquiry into alleged police brutality to extend its terms of references and scope to include the last #ENDSARS protest.
The group under the banner of Oyigbo Indigenous Association spoke through its secretary Steven Nweke at a media briefing held in Port Harcourt.
Nweke also disassociated the group from the wanting destruction that characterized the #ENDSARS protest in Oyigbo.
“What we were told as part of the reasons why our memorandum was a struck out was that the terms of reference is particularly restricted to police brutality. So we seize this opportunity to plead on Rivers State government who has set up this commission of inquiry to expand the terms given to this committee because with what it is now, I don’t think some many persons will have the avenue to ventilate their grievances”
Other members of the association also faulted the scope of the commission.
“Our position is that today, we didn’t get justice from the panel because, the panel said their mandate does not cover issues arising from the #ENDSARS protest which is particularly what our petition was meant to address because of the destruction of lives and properties.
“So we are calling on the government to expand the scope of the panel by including all other genuine complaints against law enforcement agencies, including the military whether before or after the #ENDSARS protest, that is the only way you can rightly address this injustice.
“If that is just what it is, then like we have said, there is no need for this commission because the regular courts are there for individuals to seek redress and enforce their fundamental human rights against any perceived infringement”
