The Judicial Panel of Inquiry set up by the Kaduna State government to investigate police brutality and other related extra-judicial killings in the state has so far received 29 petitions.
The Chairman of the panel, Justice David S. Wyom (rtd), disclosed this at the inaugural meeting of the panel on Thursday in Kaduna.
Wyom also said the panel will commence public hearing on the petitions on January 5, 202.
According to him, the dateline for submission of petitions has been extended to January 29, 2021, “due to logistic problems”.
Wyom said after series of meetings, the panel directed persons with complaints to submit their petitions through the zonal offices of the Ministry of Justice in Zaria and Kafanchan, the Department of Citizens Right, Ministry of Justice in Kaduna and the panel’s secretariat at Gen. Hassan Usman Katsina House, Kawo, Kaduna as well as the zonal office of the panel in Kaduna.
He added that the panel also directed that petitions could be submitted to secretaries of the 23 local government areas in the state.
“It was also resolved that all petitions/memoranda were to be submitted on or before November 25, 2020.
“However, due to logistic problems, we felt there was the need to extend the time frame for submission to January 29, 2021.
“A total number of 29 petitions have been filed before this panel. Public hearing of this panel shall be conducted at the Banquet of State House on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays every week unless otherwise directed by the chairman.
“This panel will strictly uphold the tenets of fair hearing to all persons or groups appearing before it.
“The public hearing shall commence on January 5, 2021, at 10 am in the banquet Hall and shall remain so in subsequent sittings/hearing unless otherwise directed,” the panel chairman said.
