#EndSARS: Ikpeazu constitutes panel of inquiry into alleged police brutality

Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia has constituted a 10-member Judicial Panel of Inquiry to investigate allegations of extra-judicial killings and brutality by security agents against innocent Abia residents.

The Commissioner for Information, Chief John Okiyi-Kalu, disclosed this in a statement made available to our reporter in Umuahia on Monday.

Okiyi-Kalu stated that the panel has retired Justice SN Imo and Mrs Uzoamaka Ikonne as Chairman and Secretary.

Other members include Mr John Nwakanma, Mr Daniel Chinagozi, Mr Ariwa Zuby and Mr Eric Ikwuagwu.

The rest are Mr Sunday Onuoha, Mr Nnanna Nwafor, Mrs Doris Ogala and Mr John Emejor, the Chairman, Abia Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists.

The commissioner stated that the panel would be inaugurated on October 23.

Meanwhile, the Senate Minority Leader, Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe, has called on the Federal Government to address the complaints of Nigerians over police brutality through genuine reforms.

Abaribe made the call in Umuahia on Monday, while speaking on the EndSARS’ protests across the country.

He said: “We have made our point very clear. We told the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives to go and talk to President Muhammadu Buhari because this matter has become something else.

“It is not just to give in to their demands but being able to make sure that the trajectory of Nigeria today has to stop.

“It is to make sure that the increasing poverty in Nigeria is halted. Where even doctors are owed salaries. We cannot continue along that line.

“The federal government must make genuine efforts to solve the problem of dilapidated structures everywhere.

“All the electoral robbery that happens must be stopped because what we do most of the time is selection not election.

“Let there be genuine electoral reform that we can use technology to do elections so that nobody will go and write results for somebody else.

“These are the things that we have sent to the leadership of the National Assembly.

“The senate president and speaker are with the president for deliberations and we expect feedback this evening.”

He, therefore, urged the protesters “to continue with their peaceful protests and ensure that their resistance brought positive change to the country.”