Nasarawa State Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Police brutality in the state says it has so far received 16 petitions, Justice Badamasi Maina Rtd, Chairman of the Commission discloses.
Speaking at the inaugural sitting on Tuesday in Lafia, Maina said though there were no protests and destruction of property in the state, the governor, Mr. Abdullahi Sule constituted the committee.
The chairman said it was set up to investigate complaints of police brutality or related extrajudicial killings committed in the state.
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“Our mandate is limited to our state. Where the incident occurred outside the state, we very much sympathise with the people and owners of property destroyed but will not be obliged to take such petitions or complaints unless there are reasons to do so,” he said.
Maina reeled out the terms of reference of the committee to include to receive and investigate complaints of police brutality or related extrajudicial killings and evaluate evidence and draw conclusions on the validity of complaints.
Other mandates, according to him are, to recommend compensation and other remedial measures and any other matters that may be relevant to the commission’s assignment.
“The commission has been given six months within which to complete this assignment and submit its report.
“So far, we have 16 petitions which will be mentioned today,” he said.
The chairman appealed for the cooperation of the members of the Bar and urged them to expeditiously handle the matters considering the time limit given to the commission.
Maina added that the commission had extended submission of the memoranda to December 31, to give room for more complaints to be submitted.
He said it had written to all traditional rulers, local government chairmen, the bar, and other relevant bodies in the state and had established branch offices for receipt of memoranda in all parts of the state.
