Governor Simon Bako Lalong of Plateau State has constituted a judicial panel of inquiry to complaints of police brutality and related extrajudicial killings in the state.
Lalong also said the constitution of the panel “Is in line with the recommendation of the National Economic Council (NEC) for the establishment of State-based judicial Panels of Inquiry by Governors to hear complaints and ensure accountability in the operations of police units in their States.”
He explained that the panel would be headed by a retired Judge of the Plateau State High Court Justice Philomena Lot.
Other members are CP. Garba Patrick (Rtd); Mr. Ezekiel Dauda Daschen (Youth Representative) Mrs. Rauta Dakok (Rep. of Attorney General’s Office); Mrs. Kiyempia Mafuyai (Rep. of Human Rights Commission) while the civil society is to be represented by Dr. John Jinung and Fatimah Suleiman.
The governor said he was quoted out of context in his interview with State House Correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on the ongoing #endsars protest.
The Governor explained that there was no way the Northern Governors would call for the resurrection of an already scrapped SARS as approved by the President and announced by the Inspector General of Police.
“What I simply conveyed in the interaction with State House correspondents was the need for deeper and holistic reform of the entire policing architecture in the country,” he said in reaction to reports that governors were against the scrapping of SARS.
“And stressed the fact that despite the condemnable atrocities by some members of the dissolved SARS, there are some among them that are good and performed their duties diligently, and as such there should not be blanket condemnation.
“This is why I cited the examples of some Northern Governors who testified that the disbanded SARS contributed significantly to the fight against insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, and other violent crimes in their States.”
