…As Bill Scales second reading

By Henry Umoru

MOVES by the Senate to ensure that victims of Endsars protest are adequately compensated got a boost Wednesday as a bill to this effect scaled second reading. 

The bill titled, A Bill for an Act to Amend the National Emergency  Management  Agency (NEMA) Act was sponsored by Senator Gershom Bassey,  PDP Cross-River South.

In his lead debate on the general principles of the bill, Senator Bassey who noted that  the bill seeks to provide for the establishment of the Endsars Victims Compensation Fund, said “Distinguished colleagues, you may recall that as a result of the Endsars nationwide protests in October 2020.

“Judicial panels of inquiry were constituted to address the demands of protesters and compensation for verified victims of the Endsars protest.

“The findings of the judicial panels of inquiry and the Senate Joint Committee on Endsars revealed the killing of protesters, destruction of private and public properties by rampaging hoodlums, who seized and took over the protest vandalizing and looting valuable assets.

“However  the implementation of the recommendation of all the panels and committees regarding compensation has been very discouraging.” 

According to him, the  victims have been left to continually groan under the pains of injury inflicted by hoodlums during the Endsars protest. 

The Senator stressed that  the eventual establishment  of the  fund and implementation of the recommendation of the judicial panel of inquiry and Senate Joint Committee on Endsars would  certainly bring succor to the  victims of the 2020 Endsars nationwide protest.

He said, “Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, it is my prayer that you support this amendment bill that seeks to bring hope to the victims of the 2020 Endsars protest.”

In his remarks, the President of the  Senate, Senator  Ahmed Lawan thereafter  referred the bill to the Committee on Special Duties for further legislative input  and report back to plenary in one week.