More accolades for Sanwo-Olu as Gov. visits family of Ikechukwu Iloamuazor; Meets Chairman, Judicial Panel investigating SARS brutality; Increases youth representation on Panel

More Nigerians have commended Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu for personally going to the residence of Ikechukwu Iloamuazor, who was allegedly killed by Police men during the #ENDSARS protests in Lagos.

Gov. Sanwo-Olu had earlier exposed the police officers who allegedly shot and killed the 55 year old Ikechukwu Iloamauzor, an indigene of Enugu state at Surulere, on Monday during the protest against police brutality.

Gov. Sanwo-Olu met with Iloamauzor’s widow and other members of the family to commiserate with them at their residence in Lagos on Saturday, October 17, 2020 and commentators have been full of commendations for the Governor’s gesture, which they said showed compassion and fellow feeling.

A coalition of youth groups in Enugu state had, Friday, October 16, 2020, held a press conference where they commended Gov. Sanwo-Olu for exposing the alleged killer-cops.
The coalition had also called on the Inspector General of Police and the federal government to prosecute the named officers in order to ensure justice for the deceased, as well as pay compensation to his family.

They had also called on the Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to laise with the Lagos State Governor to ensure that the late Ikechukwu Iloamuazor, who hails from Amokwe in Udi local government area of the state, is given a befitting burial.

Gov. Sanwo-Olu had on Thursday named the police officers who allegedly shot at protesters and in the process a stray bullet hit and killed Ikechukwu, who was standing by a car in a traffic hold up.

“All the four erring officers whose name I will also mention have also been apprehended and are going through an orderly room trial. They are Inspector Bagou Michael, Inspector Ekpoudom Etop, Sergeant Nnamdi Madura, and Sergent Akinyemi Benson,” Sanwo-Olu had said.

The youth leaders including, Comrade Pascal Ugwu, Enugu State Coordinator of National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN); Wenceslaus Ogbonnia, Chairman of Ohanaeze Youths, Enugu state chapter; Monday Diamond, member National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS); Johnpaul Ani, Special Assistant to Enugu State Governor on Youth Affairs and member Coal City Development Initiative; and Collins Nebo, Enugu state secretary of NYCN and Coordinator Enugu West Youth Assembly, had gone ahead to tell journalists that they were ready to take to the streets if no action was taken against the police officers that committed the murder.

Meanwhile, Gov. Sanwo-Olu, on Saturday, received in audience, Justice Doris Okuwobi (rtd), chairman of the Judicial Panel of Inquiry and Restitution set up to investigate cases of brutality and human rights violations committed by operatives of the dissolved Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in the State.

Okuwobi’s visit to the Governor came ahead of the swearing in of the panel members in Alausa on Monday and their inaugural sitting at LASWA Building on Falomo Road in Ikoyi.

The meeting, held behind closed doors, was attended by the Attorney General of the State, Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo, SAN, Head of Service, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola, and Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso.

The discussion in the meeting, it was gathered, focused on improvement in the composition of the panel membership and expectations of members of the public in the discharge of the panel’s duties.

After the meeting, Justice Okuwobi declined to speak with reporters. But, Gov. Sanwo-Olu said the meeting was necessary to intimate the panel chairman on new developments and expectations of the Government.

The Governor disclosed that the membership slot reserved for the youth had been increased to two, saying the move was to ensure young people, who are mostly the victims of SARS brutality, had strong voice and contributions in the panel’s activities.

Sanwo-Olu said: “The panel will commence its sitting next Monday after the official swearing in of its members in Alausa. We expect members of the public who have complaints against SARS operatives will approach the panel and bring forward their claims.

“It is also important to mention that we have increased the expected nomination from the youth. At the announcement of the panel two days ago, we asked the youth to bring forward one representative. We have increased the youth representation to two.

“I understand there is a process which the youth are using to nominate their representatives, which is very good. We will be expecting them to forward the names of their nominees to us before Monday. We believe that the increment in youth representation will further enrich the composition of the panel and diversity of the panel’s recommendations.”

Sanwo-Olu said the venue of the panel’s sitting was purposely chosen to create room for large occupancy should there be high number of complainants. He said the help desk lines specifically created to reach the panel members would be opened for calls from Monday.

He urged members of the public who had valid cases of brutality, human rights violations and extra-judicial killings to approach the panel for justice and compensation.

Other members of the panel include Mr. Ebun Adegboruwa, SAN (representing the Civil Society), Taiwo Lakanu (a retired Deputy Inspector General of Police), Ms Patience Udoh (representing the Civil Society), Mr. Segun Awosanya (Human Rights Activist), Mrs. Olutoyin Odusanya (Director, Lagos Citizens Mediation Center), and a representative of the Human Rights Commission.