The Lagos State Judicial Panel on Restitution for Victims of Special Anti-Robbery Squad Related Abuses and other Matters on Monday awarded N128.2m as compensation to 24 petitioners.

The panel also ended its sittings which lasted for almost 12 months.

Justice Doris Okuwobi (retd.) disclosed this at the Lagos Court of Arbitration, in Lekki, adding that the panel would submit its reports to the Lagos State Government through the Ministry of Justice.

Justice Doris Okuwobi (retd) said, “The judicial panel has awarded N128.2m as compensations to 24 petitioners who were victims of police brutality, as well as families of people killed by the Nigeria Police, especially Special Anti-Robbery Squad.

“Based on the merit in the petitions of the 28 petitioners, they were awarded N10m, N5m, N2.5m, N1m, N700,000 and N500,000 respectively, based on the strength of their petitions.

“This panel will submit its findings and recommendations on Lekki shootings and Nigerian police related abuses of the citizens to the Lagos State Government. In line with the laws setting up the judicial panel, the government will make its findings and recommendations available to members of the public.

“The two reports to be submitted by the panel to Lagos State Government are on investigation on the October 20, 2020 Lekki Toll Gate shootings during the #EndSARS protests hijacked by hoodlums and petitions on several abuses and killings by the Nigerian police, especially the disbanded SARS.”

Justice Okuwobi further explained that the panel received a total of 255 petitions from members of the public, adding that 52 of these cases were not treated.

“The judicial panel, which started its sittings in October 2020, received 255 petitions from members of the public, out of which 252 were considered for hearing, and the panel during its sittings was able to decide on 182 petitions while 52 were not treated due to time factors.

“The 52 petitions that were not treated will be included in the panel reports for necessary advice and actions to be taken by the Lagos State Government through the Ministry of Justice,” she said.

The Lead Counsel to the Lagos State Government, Mr Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN), said, “The judicial panel has healed the wounds of many victims of police brutality and killings through the compensations awarded by the Justice Okuwobi-led panel.

Apart from the compensations, the judicial panel through its ruling has also exonerated some victims from wrong doings and defamation of character, and this is even bigger than the monetary compensations.”