Bayelsa Police Brutality Victims Await Justice and Compensation

Victims of police brutality in Bayelsa State continue to await justice and compensation six years after the Bayelsa State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Police Brutality and Other Related Offences submitted its recommendations. The panel, established following the 2020 #EndSARS protests, recommended monetary compensation for victims and disciplinary actions against certain police officers.

Comrade Samuel Numonengi, a member of the panel and former chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists in Bayelsa State, stated that the panel completed its work and submitted its recommendations to the state government, which was expected to collaborate with the Federal Government for approval of compensation payments. Numonengi urged the state government to persist in seeking federal support for the victims.

Meanwhile, Comrade David West, Chairman of the Civil Liberties Organisation in Bayelsa State, criticized the state government for not acting on the panel's recommendations, questioning the lack of assistance for victims. He noted that some victims have reached out for government support, highlighting ongoing complaints regarding the government's inaction.