The Nigerian Bar Association has decried the failure of states to pay compensation to victims of police brutality.
The NBA also called on the police to immediately release all protesters who were arrested on Wednesday during the demonstrations held in commemoration of the October 2020 protests.
In a statement by its President, Olumide Akpata, the organisation said only Lagos State had paid compensations to victims as recommended by the several judicial panels set up.
The statement read in part, “While most of the investigative panels have concluded their assignment in states such as Rivers, Enugu, Edo, Nasarawa, Plateau amongst others, it is depressing to note that in most of these states, the payment compensation to victims whose petitions were established has simply not happened.
“Save for Lagos State where the panel has been most successful, in terms of the number of petitions treated, and the compensations doled out, the situation in other states has been anything but encouraging.
“The situation is indicative of the government’s less than noble attitude to the plight of citizens; as part of which may be recalled, exacerbated the protests last year.”
He said it was unfortunate that during the one-year anniversary of the #EndSARS protests, demonstrators were being harassed by security agents.
