EndSARS: Why Osun Panel Of Inquiry Is Yet To Receive Any Petition Ten Days After Inauguration

Ten days after the Osun state judicial panel of inquiry into the human rights abuses allegedly committed by the disbanded officers of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS was inaugurated, no citizen of the state has approached it to submit any petition.

The panel, chaired by Akin Olademeji, a retired judge of the state high court, was inaugurated on Thursday, October 23 by the state Governor, Gboyega Oyetola.

The director of public prosecution of the state, Kemi Bello, serves as secretary.

Mr Oyetola disclosed during the inauguration was in line with his promise to the #EndSARS protesters while addressing them recently.

He said “the setting up of this Judicial Panel of Inquiry is in keeping with Section 21 of the Commission of Inquiry Law Cap 29. Laws of State of Osun 2002 and in line with the directive of the federal government to all the 36 governors of the state and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.”

But unlike Lagos State, Osun panel is yet to receive any petition from members of the public.

The Secretary to the panel, Mrs Bello, in an exclusive chat with News Boom on Monday disclosed that it was yet to sit on any petition.

She said low publicity of the panel was responsible for masses non-response to the panel.

Bello explained that the situation could be because the panel had not made much media publicity that could inform members of the public of the need to submit their memoranda before the deadline.

According to her, the deadline for submission of petitions is November 26.

She noted that the panel was planning to make jingles that would further inform the public of the existence of the panel.

Corroborating Bello’s submission, a member of the panel, Mr Ismail Abdul Aziz (Youth, Chairman National Youth Council of Nigeria) said the panel was yet to receive petition because of low publicity and the curfew imposed on the state by the state Governor.