Govt must compensate looted businesses now – Falana

Femi Falana (SAN), Nigerian Human Rights Activist says governments at all levels must compensate business owners whose assets were looted by hoodlums in the country in the aftermath of the #EndSARS protests against police brutality.

In an interview with Arise TV on Monday, Falana also condemned the destruction of lives and assets by hoodlums in the tragedy of the past few days after the Lekki shootings in Lagos State.

He stated that those who lost loved ones across the country to the violence that marred the #EndSARS protests must also be compensated.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria said, “While I sympathise with those who have lost goods, while I sympathise with families that have lost their loved ones, we must make a case out of what has happened.

“I am talking about the development of our laws. Those who have lost goods, those who have lost properties that were not insured, should put sentiments apart, don’t say because the government in Abuja is our party, no, the law has left that stage.

“Every Nigerian is entitled to protection of his or her life and property. Once through negligence, through lack of proper policing, you lose your property, the government must pay. I am not talking about humanitarian assistance. As a matter of law, if anybody dies in the process, the family members have rights to make a claim and we have cases where this has been decided by our courts.

“So, let nobody in Abuja say these properties in Abuja were destroyed by hoodlums, it will never happen again. No; you have a duty to compensate those who have lost their properties, you have a duty to compensate those who have lost their breadwinners and potential breadwinners so that next time, the government will have to take measures to prevent this kind of unfortunate incidents.”