Odahiekwu Ogunde, Yenagoa
Civil Liberties Organisation in Bayelsa State has set up up a five-man committee to investigate cases of police brutality, human rights violation and other security dehumanisation in the state.Inaugurating the committee in Yenagoa on Monday, the state CLO Chairman, Chief Nengi James, said the setting up of the committee was expedient as residents of the state had suffered and endured cases of police brutality and other civil rights abuses in the hands of security operatives over the years.James called on members of the public, particularly those who had suffered cases of police brutality and harassment to come forward and submit testimony and memoranda.He said findings of the committee would be submitted to the National Human Rights Commission in Abuja, adding that members of the committee were drawn from the Nigerian Bar Association, the media, gender advocates and youths, among others.According to James, the terms of reference of the committee are to document all cases of police and other security personnel’s brutality, harassment, extortion, human rights abuses, delay of justice, extra-judicial killings, compensation, and other related matters.In his remarks, the Chairman of the committee, Mr David West, thanked the CLO chairman for giving him the opportunity to serve and pledged to do so with diligence and ultimate aim of achieving the best results.He pointed out that the essence of CLO is to stand for the rights of all Nigerians, particularly the oppressed, irrespective of their tribes and affiliations.He advised members of the public to come forward with their memoranda for documentation.