Frontline rights group, CLEEN Foundation, has berated the Judicial Panels of Inquiry on extra judicial killings by security agents in various states of the country for poor performance especially in the area of dispensing justice.

In a statement issued in Abuja and signed by Gabriel Akinremi x-raying the performance of the panels, the group made some critical observations and came up with the following recommendations:

That the judicial panels of inquiry should focus more on facts and evidence presented before it rather than dwelling on legal technicalities that several petitioners are not familiar with.

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) should intensify efforts in sensitizing the public about the free legal representation available to indigent petitioners.

Uncooperative police and military officers should be subpoenaed to appear before the panel to respond to issues involving them.

The panel of inquiry should allow more citizens to file petitions before them because justice delayed is justice denied.

Panels should dedicate block of sittings weekly to enable them hear and adjudicate on as many cases as possible.

The panels of inquiry should consider the use of technology in the filing of petitions and receiving of evidence to reduce the potential impact of Covid-19 pandemic on their proceedings.

The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice should provide clarity on the legal status, powers and the enforcement of the recommendations of the panels by the government.

Among the gaps identified by the group include:

The decision of most panels of inquiry to stop receiving petitions despite huge numbers of potential petitioners who have been shut out of the proceedings.

Adjournments based on improper service of summons and processes, Absence or unpreparedness of petitioners, respondents or their counsels; reliance on legal technicalities to the disadvantage of the petitioners; absence of legal representation as most petitioners are not well informed about the pro-bono legal services provided by the NBA across the states; and security actors (police and military personnel) not honouring the invitation of the panel.

The group also observed that most panels of inquiry are attending to few cases daily; distrust and suspicion among families of victims and survivors of extra-judicial killings and police brutality regarding the extent to which the panels of inquiry can dispense justice and the possibility of government acting on the recommendations.

Although the Nigeria Police Force has withdrawn the suit against the Judicial Panels of Inquiry, there are legal issues yet to be addressed regarding the powers of the panels and enforcement of their recommendations and decisions.

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