The Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC ), Tony Ojukwu has said the Commission will set up a Special Investigation Panel on the alleged police brutality of staff of Women Aid Collectives (WACOL) a non-governmental organisation based in Enugu.
Receiving a petition from WACOL Founding Director, Professor Joy Ezeilo on the alleged police brutality in Abuja over the weekend, Ojukwu stated that the Commission will leave no stone unturned in establishing the veracity of the complaint and bringing the culprits to book.
The Executive Secretary disclosed that he had already detailed the Enugu State Coordinator of the Commission to carry a preliminary investigation into the incident and send in the report urgently.
According to the Executive Secretary the respect for human rights should be the guiding principle for all law enforcement operations.
In the 4page petition, WACOL alleged that it’s staff were assaulted, brutalised and properties belonging to the organisation damaged by the Nigerian police force, Area Command , Enugu.
The organisation stated that the incident was not the first time the police was invading their office. It recalled that in 2017 the head of the legal team of WACOL was rendered naked by the police who tore her clothes and inflicted serious injuries on her.
Professor Ezeilo appealed to the Commission to take measures to fish out the perpetrators of the destardly act to forstall future occurrence.
It also appealed to the Commission to use her position to effect the transfer of the alleged rape case that sparked off the unfortunate incident out of Enugu to ensure unbaised investigation .
