#EndSARS: Woman in distress as Rivers panel dismisses family petition

A middle-aged woman broke down in tears inside the main hall of the Obi Wali International Conference Centre, Port Harcourt, venue of the public hearing of the Rivers State Judicial Commission of Inquiry on Police brutality, as a petition filed by her family against the Nigeria Police was dismissed.

The panel had struck out the petition brought by Isoboye Owunari Douglas on behalf of his family to seek redress for the torture and harassment meted to members of the family by operatives of the Nigeria Police.

Dismissing the petition, Chairman of the Commission, Justice Chukwunenye Uriri (retd.), said the panel cannot hear the matter since it had earlier been taken to a court of competent jurisdiction.

“What you are asking for is outside the scope of the Commission. We are not here to enforce any judgment of the court. Therefore, your petition is hereby struck out for want of jurisdiction,” Uriri stated.

Meanwhile, a 75-year old retired civil servant, Chief Paul Nyeche Amadi, has demanded N20milion as compensation for the torture and trauma he suffered in the hands of disbanded SARS operatives

He further said the trauma he suffered while on exile in his maternal home, kept him in the hospital bed for several months.