A group under the aegis of the Young People’s Movement has urged the Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, to implement the recommendations made by the judicial panel of investigation on police brutality and extra-judicial killings.
The group in a statement signed by its convener, Kayode Aderemi, and made available to The PUNCH on Saturday lamented that efforts to ensure victims of police brutality were compensated after the panel report has not been successful.
PUNCH had reported that governor Abiodun in July 2021 received the report of the judicial panel with an assurance to implement the recommendations of the panel.
But the group claimed the governor was yet to fulfil the promise despite raising the hopes of many victims.
Aderemi in the statement said, “YPM is a socio-political group of young progressives that came together after the iconic EndSARS surge where the youths of our great country rose and spoke in one voice against oppressive excesses of certain security agencies.
“Whereas the EndSARS protests have been suspended, the voices of freedom of Ogun State youths and indeed, all Nigerian youth will ever remain.
“October 20, 2020, is not a day that the Nigerian youths will forget in a jiffy; a day that will remain forever dark in our hearts, in honour of our fallen and wounded heroes. A day when unarmed, peaceful Nigerian youths were fallen by officers at the Lekki Toll Gate, Lagos State, Nigeria.
“#EndSARS panel were set up, giving hopes that, within the shortest possible time, culpable officers would be dealt with and victims’ families would be compensated. Alas, our hopes were again dashed!
“While this issue of utmost importance to our youths may be handled as a theatre of the absurd, we are certain that posterity will remember all actions and inactions!”
Adeyemi, however, revealed plans of the group to support a preferred governorship candidate for the 2023 general election in the state.
He hinted that the group will support a governorship candidate that had a proven track record of empathy for the lives and welfare of the Ogun State youths.
He said, “in the coming weeks, YPM shall, inter alia, after a scrutiny of the track records of the Ogun State governorship candidates declare where we pitch our tents. We will painstakingly scout for a candidate that has a proven track record of empathy for the lives and welfare of the Ogun State Youths and lend our weight accordingly.”
