During its plenary on Wednesday, the Nigerian Senate passed for second reading, a bill requesting compensation for victims of the EndSARS protest.
The bill is entitled ‘A Bill for an Act to Amend the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Act’ and was sponsored by Sen. Bassey, Gershom from Cross River State.
In his lead debate, Bassey explained that the bill sought 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.
”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, destruction of private and public properties by rampaging hoodlums, who seized and took over the protest, destroyed and looted valuable assets.
“However distinguished colleagues the implementation of the recommendation of all the panels and committees regarding compensation has been very discouraging.”
He said that the victims had been abandoned to continually groan under the pains of injury inflicted by hoodlums during the EndSARS protest.
He said the fund if established and the recommendation of the judicial panel of inquiry and Senate Joint Committee on EndSARS implemented, would 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.
Consequently, the President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan referred the bill to the Committee on Special Duties for further legislative input and report back to plenary in one week.