#EndSARS-police brutality: CLO to offer free legal aid to Akwa Ibom citizens
Akwa Ibom citizens who have cases and evidence of human right violation and brutality against the police should not worry about how to contract legal aid as the state chapter of Civil Liberties Organization, CLO, led by Otuekong Franklyn Using has offered to represent them in court free of charge.
This contained in a statement sgned by Comrade (Barr.) Christopher Ekpo, State Secretary of the Organization on Monday.
The statement read:
“Today, Monday, 26th October, 2020, members of the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), Akwa Ibom State Branch attended the inaugural sitting of the Judicial Panel of Investigation on Incidences of Police Brutality in Akwa Ibom State set up by the Akwa Ibom State Government to receive and investigate complaints of police brutality, human rights violations and extrajudicial killings; evaluate evidence presented/other surrounding circumstances, and draw conclusions as to the validity of the complaints, and recommend compensation and other remedial measures, where appropriate.
“CLO commends the government for promptly constituting and inaugurating the Judicial Panel of Investigation.
“We advise citizens who have been, or are, victims of Police Brutality, Human Rights violations and or extrajudicial killings to take full advantage of the Judicial Panel by laying their complaints thereat for redress and compensation.
“We urge indigent citizens with genuine complaints of Police Brutality, Human Rights violations and extrajudicial killings by State agents to approach the CLO for free legal aid.
We call on the Judicial Panel to give succour to the complainants by hearing out their complaints and tilting more to justice than to the observance of the strict regimen of proof according to Law.
“We urge government to ensure that the recommendations of the Judicial Panel are promptly and fully implemented so as to enable closure and provide due compensation to victims of Police Brutality, Human Rights violations and extrajudicial killings.”
