..accused SARS Officers absent during sitting

Some officers of the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, accused of human rights abuses, were absent at the sitting of the Ondo State Panel of Inquiry on Police Brutality and Other Matters.

None of them were present at the panel set up by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu SAN, a situation which made the panel Chairman, retired Justice Adesola Sidiq to ask the state Commissioner of Police to direct the affected officers to appear at next sitting.

Already, the panel has received thirty-two petitions from members of the public, politicians and institutions.

The Chairman pointed out that the panel will continue to receive petitions from members of the public while sitting.

The panel is attending to petitions by a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Ife Oyedele, whose house was burnt in Okitipupa, during the EndSARS protests, as well as the correctional centre.

Retired Justice Sidiq said it is necessary for some officers of the defunct SARS to appear before the panel, because of the allegations leveled against them.

According to him, they need to appear to clear their names.