The Judicial Panel of Inquiry into alleged abuses by the former Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a unit of the Nigeria Police, has listed the petition from the family of the slain youth corps member, Ifeoma Abugu, on the list of alleged abuses for hearing.
The hearing, which was expected to hold on Monday, January 11, has been rescheduled through a message by officials of the panel, retired Supreme Court justice, Justice Buba Galadima, to a date soon to be communicated to the parties.
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Also, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed February 9 for hearing in the fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by the family against the Nigeria Police Force.
Others joined in the suit are: the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Inspector General of Police, the Commissioner of Police for FCT, Officer Commanding Special Anti-Robbery Squad of FCT, DSP Melai Isaac, Inspector Enlemali Agbede and Sergeant Ezekiel Agbede.
Abugu died in police custody following her arrest in lieu of her fiancé at Wumba village in Lokogoma, Abuja on September 10, 2020.
In the suit filed by their lawyer, Ifeanyi Mamah, the family is demanding an award of N3.3 billion in exemplary damages against the police for allegedly acting in “contravention of Section 7 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015; Section 34(1) and 35(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended 2011), and Articles 6 and 5 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights.”
