In Nigeria where youths trooped out to the streets more than four months ago to protest against Police brutality, benefits of the calls for change are gradually being noticed.
Thousands of Nigerian youths across the country embarked on peaceful protests in October 2020 against a rogue (now disbanded) section of the Police called SARS. The protests were one of the most historic moments in Nigeria’s modern history.
On Friday, February 19th, two victims of Police brutality were awarded the sum of N10m each by the Lagos Judicial Panel for the troubles they faced in the hands of the security agents.
Adebiyi Abayomi – son of one of the victims, Kudirat, received the cheque from the panel on behalf of his mother who was killed by the Police.
The second person was Hannah Olugbodi who also got compensated for the misconduct Police meted out on her. Olugbodi was hit by a stray bullet as she walked to the market. She had narrated her ordeals to the panel in November and explained how she was left to walk with crutches.
Abayomi, in his own narration on the 2nd of December 2020 said the DPO told him that he has given out money for embalming at the mortuary and that the next day, they should come back for further hearing.
He said on getting to the station the next day, he visited the IDH mortuary, and met his mother’s body on the floor, swollen and unkempt.
Olugbodi was given N10m to cover for her medical expenses while Abayomi was awarded N10m for the education of Kudirat’s children.