The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has constituted a nine-member ad hoc committee to handle the cases of Omobolanle Raheem and Gafaru Buraimoh who were allegedly killed by police officers in Lagos.
NBA President, Yakubu Maikyau (SAN), who announced this on Saturday through the National Publicity Secretary, Akorede Habeeb Lawal, said the panel will handle the murder and civil cases involving the two victims.
The committee is comprised of Mrs. Titilola Akinlawon (SAN) as chairperson and Mrs. Abiye Tam-George, who is the vice chairman of the Lagos Branch, as the secretary.
Members are Charles Ajiboye (National Assistant Publicity Secretary); Ikechukwu Uwanna (chairman, Lagos Branch); Seyi Olawunmi (chairman, Ikeja Branch); Olalekan Thanni (chairman, Ikorodu Branch); M.A. Sodipo (chairman, Badagry Branch); Omotayo Omosehin (chairman, Epe Branch); and Oladotun Hassan (secretary, Epe Branch).
The NBA president said the terms of reference of the committee are to continue to interface with the families of the two victims until the conclusion of the prosecution in the respective cases; to hold a watching brief in the course of the prosecutions of ASP Drambi Vandhi and the perpetrator(s) of the death of Gafaru Buraimoh and render periodic reports.
Others are to file civil suits on behalf of the families of the two victims and to obtain reasonable compensation for the respective families; to collaborate with the NBA-Human Rights Institute to develop a capacity training program for the police on respect for human rights to be implemented jointly by the NBA, the Nigerian Police Force, and the Police Service Commission; and to handle other issues incidental to ensuring justice in the cases.
“We start by acknowledging that nothing we do will ever be enough to bring back our late member, Mrs. Omobolanle Raheem. We however believe that our strong and unwavering pursuit of justice, in this case, may mean that another Nigerian will not have to lose his or her life in the illegal, unlawful and unjust manner that Omobolanle’s life was taken,” Maikyau said.