A victim of police brutality in Benue State, Benjamin Bemgba Akaainjo
By TYAV SAM TYAV, Makurdi –
Three years after the panel set up by the Benue State Government to look into cases of police brutality and extra judicial killings had submitted its report, the federal government was yet to pay compensation to the affected people in Benue State.
The setting up of the panel followed cases of police brutality and extra judicial killings across the country, particularly the activities of the defunct Special Anti- Robbery Squad (SARS).
The Benue State judicial panel was headed by Justice Adam Onum which completed its work and submitted its report to government.
According to the report, the panel received a total of 72 complaints even as some were withdrawn thereafter and after a careful consideration of the complaints, the panel recommended N304, 535, 809. 85 as compensation.
A father of one of the victims of police brutality, Mr. Edward Akaainjo, who spoke to NATIONAL ACCORD, informed that three years after the submission of the report, the federal government has not done anything about it.
Akaainjo revealed that his son Benjamin Bemgba Akaainjo was deceived by SARS that after collecting his number from his younger brother that a relation of his had an accident and he needed to come along for the hospital to commence treatment at the General Hospital Aliade
On arrival at the hospital at Aliade, the officers, who had arrested his younger brother descended on him, removed the handcuff from his younger brother and handcuffed him (Benjamin Bemgba Akaainjo) and gave him the beating of his life and drove away with him, saying that they would tell the family wherever they would take him to but from October 2019 to date they have not heard about him even as they took time and went round the police formations in the state.
He wondered why the similar reports from about 21 states have been considered and victims paid compensation but Benue among other states were not given consideration three years after.
He called on the federal government and all the relevant authorities concerned to look into the report with the view to addressing the anomaly.
