The Nigerian Senate, on Wednesday, passed a bill seeking to compensate victims of the EndSARS protest for second reading.
The bill entitled, A Bill for an Act to Amend the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Act, was sponsored by Senator Bassey Gershom, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Cross River State.
Leading debate for the bill, Bassey said the bill seeks to provide for the establishment of the EndSARS Victims Compensation Fund.
He said: “Distinguished colleagues, you may recall that as a result of the EndSARS nationwide protests in October 2020.
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“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, and 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.”
He said the victims have been left to continually groan under the pains of injury inflicted by hoodlums during the protest.
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According to Bassey, 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 succour to the victims of the 2020 EndSARS nationwide protest.
“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,” he said.
The Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, then referred the bill to the Committee on Special Duties for further legislative input and report back to plenary in one week.
