Endsars: Group Wants , Citizen, Police Reconciliation Before Inquiries

• Stephen Godonu: 

BENIN CITY – AS the Judicial Panels of Inquiry into police brutality against citizens across the country begin sittings to look into the allegations and suggest compensation and the restitution were possible, a group in Edo state, Concerned Edo Citizens Forum (CECF) has suggested a town hall meeting first to reconcile members of the public and the police to be midwife by the state government before the sittings of the panels of inquiry. A statement by the Convener and Secretary of the group, Roy Oribhabor and Osamwonyi Ibude yesterday expressed concern that the police are yet to return their posts apparently yet to recover from the hostilities meted out to them during the protest and suggested that a reconciliatory meeting could restore police confidence on the public.  He said: “We once again sympathise with the police over the killings of their personnel.

“However, we appeal to Edo State Government  to institute reconciliatory mechanism to tackle the situation and formulate workable direction to serves as panacea, it’s on record that the morale of police are down hence, discussion, interaction and negotiation are necessary at this material time  to provide a platform between the people and police to rob minds on the subject matter therefore, town hall meeting is the only way to go to develop and promote mutual understanding to enhance policing in our society.   “In as much we salute the effort of the Government to set up a judicial panel of inquiry but reconciliation is the first move to boost the morale of police because there is serious disconnection between the police and the people hence, public moral building is vital