The House of Representatives has promised to provide a compensatory budget for victims of the #EndSARS protests, Speaker of the House, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila has disclosed.
Gbajabiamila said the provision is in line with the earlier resolve of the House to ensure succour for families of those who post their lives to police brutality, according to a press statement from his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Lanre Lasisi.
“To get them compensated, the Speaker said, the House would obtain the list of all the victims and use the 2021 budget process to get them compensated through their families”, the statement reads.
He said “the House had reached some resolutions last week on the brutality of SARS officers and that it was gladdening that the unit has been disbanded.
“The people that we represent have spoken, and the government has listened. The President has unequivocally dissolved SARS.
“The House had last week reached some resolutions on the issue. It shows that we’re on the same page with the Nigerian people.
“We should get the list of those that lost their lives so that during this budget process, we’ll be able to appropriate for their full compensation”.
Gbajabiamila explained that “the House must keep to one of the resolutions it reached last week, which said the Green Chamber would immediately commence the legislative process of reforming the Nigeria Police”.
He indicated that a proposed legislation, would soon be tabled on the floor of the House on that.
“It is for the above purpose, that the leadership of the House would meet with the national leadership of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) on Wednesday”, the Speaker said.
Gbajabiamila requested his colleagues to observe a minute of silence in honour of those who lost their lives in the protests, which they all obliged.