14th July, 2021
By Muhaimin Olowoporoku
The Oyo State Judicial Panel of Inquiry hearing cases of police brutality and other related matters concluded public sitting on Tuesday.
Chairman of the panel Justice Bolajoko Adeniji (retd), declared the winding up of the panel. He said the panel would submit its recommendations to relevant authorities in due course.
The Oyo panel received a total of 163 petitions. The panel as it winds up said it will begin the process of reviewing each petition through technical meetings and deliberations, which will lead to the final report that will be submitted to the state government for implementation.
“Consequent upon the directive of the Federal Government, His Excellency, the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, set up a 10-man committee to form the judicial panel of inquiry in Oyo State, Justice Adeniji said.
“The panel was inaugurated on Tuesday 10th of November, 2020 to receive and investigate police brutality on the latest extrajudicial killings; to evaluate evidence presented or/and other surrounding circumstances and draw conclusions as to the validity of the complaints; recommend compensation and other remedial measures where appropriate.
“The panel’s inaugural meeting was held on Wednesday 22nd of November, 2020 at the conference room of the Ministry of Justice. The purpose of this meeting was to set out the modus operandi of the panel and all other relevant logistics. Other and further meetings were also held on 23rd of December, 2020; 11th of January, 2021 and 19th of January, 2021 respectively at the same venue.
“The first sitting of the panel came up on 26th of January, 2021 at the House of Chiefs, Secretariat, Ibadan, having received 163 petitions. The petitions have been completed as of today, Tuesday 13th July, 2021 to the glory of God.
“The work has been very strenuous and tasking but the panel members and all the stakeholders that are the petitioners, witnesses, police legal representatives, counsel, especially the pro-bono lawyers, news media men were all up to the task.
“The panel’s report will be submitted to the relevant authority in due course.”