A group, YouthHubAfrica in partnership with Onelife Initiative, Foundation for Investigative Journalism and Cedarseed Foundation, has inaugurated a toll-free line for reporting police brutality in Ebonyi, Oyo, Bauchi and the Federal Capital Territory.
It said the number would help in expanding the civic spaces in the three states and the FCT in tracking the government’s #EndSARS promises and reduce human rights violations.
A statement on Wednesday by the Coordinator, You Matter in this matter, Rotimi Olawale, titled, ‘Group launches toll-free lines to enable citizens report human rights violation and police brutality, said the number-0800 – YOU – MATTER (0800 – 968 – 628837), went live by 12 pm on October 20, 2021.
It stated that the project was supported by VOICE Nigeria.
The statement read, “It is exactly one year since ‘The #EndSARS movement’ forced national attention on unending issues of police brutality and poor governance. The national outcry was a genuine demand and call on the federal government to deal with the brutality of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad on young Nigerians.
“The response across different levels of government provides an opportunity to ensure aggrieved persons, especially young Nigerians and the vulnerable are heard, key demands are met for lasting solutions to end police brutality.
“Judicial panels were enacted to meet the #5For5 demands, however, little or no result has come out of these panels and young people are still at the mercy of security officials across the country.
On this anniversary of the #EndSARS protest, the consortium hopes that the toll-free line in relation to other activities within the project will mobilise actions that will track human rights violations particularly police brutalities in Nigeria and ensure that appropriate authorities are involved; support Nigerian youths to be better organised and coordinated in demanding a better future and ensure that the democratic demands of the #EndSARs are kept alive and promises of the government tracked to ensure its fulfilment.”
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