Table of Contents
- Compensation Appeal to Governor Otti
- Panel of Inquiry Details
- Victims' Testimony
- Comparison with Other States
- Hope for Payment
Victims of police brutality and extrajudicial killings in Abia State have called on Governor Alex Otti to implement the payment of the N511 million compensation that was awarded to them by the Abia State government Panel of Inquiry in July 2021.
The victims stated that this amount was approved by the Panel of Inquiry established by the Abia State government during the tenure of former Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, but it remains unpaid to this day.
They indicated that the recommendations made by the Panel were approved by the previous administration of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu but were not disbursed before he left office.
The victims of police brutality and extrajudicial killings, who spoke to journalists in Umuahia, noted that the Panel was chaired by the former Chief Judge of the State, Justice Sunday Imo, with former Abia State Solicitor General, Mrs. Uzo Uche Ikonne, serving as its Secretary.
Discussing their struggles, the Coordinator and Secretary of the Victims of Police Brutality in Abia State, Osita Nwabuko and Harrison Ikwue, respectively, shared that the unpaid N511 million compensation was designated for 46 of them out of the 86 victims who sought justice from the Panel.
They revealed that they have already submitted petitions to Governor Alex Otti and the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Emmanuel Emeruwa, urging for the payment.
Their letter to Governor Otti was dated February 24, 2025, while their correspondence to the Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly was dated October 9, 2025.
They asserted that states such as Lagos, FCT Abuja, Osun, Ekiti, and Rivers, which established similar bodies, have compensated their victims of police brutality.
Nwabuko expressed optimism that Governor Alex Otti would facilitate the payment of the compensation, stating, “Many of our members are homeless, severely ill, some have died, and others who passed away remain in the mortuary due to lack of funds.”
What is the status of the N511 million compensation?
The N511 million compensation awarded to victims of police brutality in Abia State remains unpaid despite being approved by the Panel of Inquiry in July 2021.
Who was involved in the Panel of Inquiry?
The Panel of Inquiry was chaired by Justice Sunday Imo, the former Chief Judge of the State, and had Mrs. Uzo Uche Ikonne, the former Abia State Solicitor General, as its Secretary.
Have other states paid compensation to victims of police brutality?
Yes, states like Lagos, FCT Abuja, Osun, Ekiti, and Rivers have compensated their victims of police brutality, unlike Abia State.
