By Ayodele Oni
Ondo State Governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, has said that not all victims of the 2020 EndSARS protest in the state would get compensation.
According to the Governor, some of those whose properties were touched due to politics would not get compensation.
He was speaking while receiving the report of the panel set up by the State Government to look into the cases of some of the victims of the nationwide protest and Police brutality in Akure on Wednesday.
The panel had recommended the payment of over N755 million for some of the victims as well as public apology by government.
Mr Akeredolu pointed out that “when we go through your report, we will see how you want us to spend N755m. We will look at it again.
“Where politicians set each other’s buildings ablaze, each persons will bear the cost. At Okitipupa, I told them the State Government will not be coming. They are contributing money to carry out repairs at Okitipupa Local Council.
“In Owo, the people protected property. Those hoodlums who hijacked #EndSARS were ready to destroy anything.
“No palliatives were in any stores in Akure. I distributed them without waiting for CACOVID. States were waiting for CACOVID. #EndSARS would have destroyed palliatives but we have already distributed.”
On the recommendation of the panel that section 84 of Sheriffs and Civil Process be amended the governor declared that “the recommendation of reviewing Section 84 of the Sheriffs and Civil Process Act, (2004) is a civil process. It is more of a federal legislation. We will get our federal lawmakers to kick start it.”
Speaking earlier while submitting the panel’s report, its Chairman, Justice Adesola Sidiq disclosed that 77 petitions out of which 14 were criminal, and 63 civil, were received during its sittings.
Aside from payment of the N755m, the panel also recommended publication of apologies in national dailies, particularly where the reputation of victims had been tarnished.
Justice Sidiq (Rtd)observed that the “disheartening aspect of our assignment bordered on human rights violation which dates as far back as 2003 and unfortunately remained unresolved until this Panel was set up.”
Four Local Government Councils of Akure South, Ondo West, Odigbo and Okitipupa, were identified as areas where properties were vandalized.
“Apart from the monetary compensation of N755,730,897. 88, the Panel recommended publication of apologies in national dailies particularly where the reputation of victims had been tarnished.
“Another issue which became thorny was on the cases which had been decided by Courts of competent jurisdiction, but were brought before the Panel for lack of payment of judgement debts.
“Mr. Governor Sir, the Panel, after careful consideration of its limitations in line with extant Supreme Court judgments on the powers of Panels of Inquiry to entertain res-judicata cases, suggests that it is high time a review is carried out on Section 84 of the Sheriffs and Civil Process Act, (2004) to enable judgement creditors enjoy the fruit of their litigations.”
Governor Akeredolu, thereafter, announced the dissolution of the Panel after receiving the report.
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