Four #EndSARS members of the Anambra State Judicial Panel of Inquiry into Allegations of Extrajudicial Killings by the defunct Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) have resigned.
In their resignation letter addressed to Governor Willie Obiano and made available to journalists in Awka, the Anambra State capital, on Sunday, the four members, who said they represented youths’ interest in the panel, accused the state government of paying lip service to the cause.
They said as youths who had a future to protect, they would not want to continue to belong to ‘a lame duck panel.’
They alleged that the panel that had no fewer than 250 petitions before it had not received any serious funding from the state government.
Their resignation letter, read by their spokesperson, Ifediora Chijioke, a lawyer stated, “It is imperative to mention that Anambra State, under your (Obiano’s) watch and that of your predecessor, was the cynosure of police brutality, extortion, and even extrajudicial killings in Nigeria.
“The notorious Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Awkuzu, and numerous other police outfits in Anambra State, have become infamous around the world for outrageous, unconscionable, and iniquitous violations of the fundamental rights of Nigerians, including the right to life.
“Following the ‘EndSARS’ protests that occurred in many states in Nigeria in the last quarter of 2020, we felt that perhaps the Anambra State Government may have become penitent and was willing to competently take up its duty of securing the lives and property of its residents.”
The youths said they were impressed when the government constituted the panel to investigate cases of police brutality.
“Sadly, the sittings of the panel were characterised by inefficiency and poor organisation because the Anambra State Government failed woefully to adequately provide for logistics for anything at all involving the proceedings of the panel.
“There was no funding to enhance clerical or secretarial functions of the panel, no provision for security or witness protection.
“We are, however, now convinced beyond peradventure that the Anambra State Government has no regard for the victims of the many human rights violations by the police in the state. The government has totally ignored the panel and simply set up the panel to play to the gallery.”
They panellists, who said they refused to be used by the government, added, “We firmly refuse to be pawns in the game of the government, so we hereby resign our appointments into the Anambra State panel and completely dissociate ourselves from all the charade put up to give lip service to the plights of residents of Anambra State.”
