The Lagos State Judicial Panel of Restitution and Inquiry set up to investigate cases of police brutality especially involving officers of the now-defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), on Friday awarded compensations to two petitioners.
The two petitioners, Adebayo Abayomi and Hannah Olugbodi were awarded N10 million each as compensation based on the panel’s recommendation.
Hannah Olugbodi who is on a crutch got compensated for being shot by a police officer in 2018.
Olugbodi had told the panel about how a stray police bullet had hit her leg in 2018, when officers were trying to extort some young men around Ijesha market,after which she spent six months at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).
While Adebayo Abayomi’s compensation was awarded based on the extra judicial killing of his mother, Kudirat.
The late Kudirat was killed in 2017 by a stray bullet fired by SARS officers who were attempting to arrest internet fraudsters.
Justice Doris Okuwobi (retd) also recomended that erring officers who committed these abuses be sanctioned.
The petitioners are the first set in Lagos to be awarded compensation since the panel started hearing cases last year.
