The family of Lagos taxi driver, Adeshina Adeosun, who was killed by the police, has been paid a N10million compensation by the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry and Restitution for SARS-related abuses and other matters.
The family was among the six recipients of N19.25million compensation by the panel, all victims of police brutality.
Chairperson of the panel, Justice Doris Okuwobi (retd) presented the cheques to the victims or their families on Friday, September 24. The others who received compensations include Akinmade Akinrolabu who got N1.5 million; Sanusi Oluwakemi N750, 000; Patrick Michael N3 million, Ayomide Oyewunmi got N1 million and Oluwatosin Odebode N3 million.
The family of Adeshina Adeosun, a taxi driver, had appeared before the panel to demand justice. According to the family, police officers attached to Olosan Police Station in Mushin axis of the state shot at him at Fan Milk junction around Mushin axis of Lagos, on October 20, 2020, during the #EndSARS protest, leading to his death.
Adeosun’s daughter, Funmilayo, who witnessed how her father was fatally shot by the police, told the panel in February that his body was also seized by the police attached to the Olosan station in Mushin. Justice Okwuobi ordered the Lagos police to provide the deceased body for burial. She also advised that the Nigerian police officers be trained on how to handle a crowd and a riotous situation.
Ayomide Oyewunmi, 14, got N1million following the trauma he suffered while being handcuffed by some police officers attached to the Ajah area of the state. His father, Taiwo Oyewunmi, had told the panel that the police officers invaded his residence and handcuffed his son.
His father had in May on his behalf demanded financial compensation of N25 million.
The panel ruled that the 14-year-old was subjected to fear and exposed to danger and is entitled to compensation and apology from the police.
The panel was set up by the Lagos government in the wake of the #EndSARS protest in October 2020, to probe cases of police brutality in the state.
Mr Oyewunmi said that it took the intervention of the station’s DCO and instruction from the “higher authority not to detain the minor in the cell” adding that his son was traumatized following the incident.
