A passenger of a commercial bus,
Amos Odeyemi, who has been deformed after he was shot by a police officer in
2003 has filed a petition before the Osun Judicial Panel.
Adeyemi had his lower lip, jaw
and teeth ripped off by the police bullet.
According to him, a member of the
police team identified as Constable Olalere George (with Force No. 367218 PC)
fired gun shots at the bus and wounded 7 out of the 18 passengers inside the
bus, after the driver paid “N20 customary toll fee” and was cleared by another
police.
Adeyemi said, he was a Produce
Merchant and was going to Offa, Kwara State from Modakeke.
He boarded the bus with number XC
778 SGB in Osogbo Osun State to buy cashew nuts on June 22, 2003, when the
incident happened.
In his petition, Adeyemi sought
redress for the brutality he suffered from the members of the Nigeria Police
Force, Osun State Command, the injuries, pains, deformations and many other
adverse effects the injuries have been having on him from that day till date.
The petition read: “At the
Railway Crossing, Okuku, a Police Patrol team mounted a check point where the
bus Driver (Mr. Ibrahim Olagoke) was stopped, the bus was searched, and the
Driver dropped the “customary toll fee” (which was then N20.00 per police check
point) and he was cleared to go by the Police Officer who checked the bus by
waiving his hand.
“As the bus moved, another member
of the Police team (later identified as/Constable Olalere George (with Force
No. 367218 PC) fired gun shots at the bus and wounded 7 out of the 18
passengers inside the bus, including the Petitioner. Constable George’s gunshot
entered the Petitioner’s head from the back and came out through mouth and in
the process, scattered the Petitioner’s mouth, lips, teeth and jaw with blood
gushing out from his body.
“Our Client instantly fell into
coma while the Police Officers ran away from the scene of the crime abandoning
our Client and other victims there to die. Till date, the Police Authorities
have not disciplined Constable George, members of his team and Divisional
Police Officer who gave them weapons to use against innocent members of the
Public at the said check point.
“Good Samaritans rushed the
Petitioner to Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Teaching Hospital (LAUTECH)
Osogbo where he was treated. Due to his critical conditions, he was later
referred to Obafemi Awolowo University, (OAUTHC) Ile Ife where he underwent
surgeries and other medical treatments to remove the bullets from his body and
head by a medical team led by Dr. Vincent Ugboko, a Consultant Anatomy Expert
and Lecturer. Our Client was on admission at OAUTHC for several months and he
has since then remained on drugs to reduce his pains.
“Due to lack of the required
facilities and manpower in Nigeria, Dr. Ugboko recommended the Petitioner for
plastic surgery and further medical treatment overseas vide a letter dated
20/7/2004.
“In response, the University of
Miami School of Medicine, Miami, United States of America vide a letter dated
20/8/2004 offered to treat the Petitioner for $120.000 USD (One hundred and
twenty thousand US dollars) excluding travelling and living expenses.
“The surgeries were to be
performed in stages covering a period of 14 months, during which period he was
to remain in Miami with a helper. Copies of the said 2 letters are attached as
Annexure GAAC 1 and GAAC 2 respectively.
“The Petitioner used his life
savings, the proceeds of the sales of his personal properties and loans for his
treatment in Nigeria without any assistance from the Police Authorities,
despite his repeated appeals. As a result, our Client filed a case at the
Federal High Court, Osogbo to seek legal redress in Suit No.
FHC/OS/CS/17/2003:- Amos Odeyemi Vs. (1) Inspector-General of Police (2)
Paneler of Police Osun State (3) Constable Olalere George and (4) Attorney
General of the Federation wherein the Learned Trial Judge, Hon. Justice
Chukwura Nnamani in his judgment delivered on 8/12/2004 held among other things
that in shooting the Petitioner, Constable Olalere George
was reckless and grossly
negligent, the Inspector General of Police and the other Defendants were
vicariously liable for the illegal, unconstitutional and unjustified shooting
of the Petitioner.
“The bus Driver, (Mr. Olagoke)
the Leader of the medical team, Dr. Ugboko and the Petitioner were some of the
witnesses who testified during the trial. Regrettably, the Court awarded a
meagre sum of N1 million only as special, general and exemplary damages in
favour of the Petitioner and without ordering for his further treatment abroad
and/or even in Nigeria.
“The said sum of N1 million was
not sufficient to cover the Petitioner’s travelling expenses let alone the
surgeries and accommodation he needed in the USA. The Police Authorities paid
the #1 million during the pendency of the appeal against the quantum of damages
in Appeal No. CAD/125/2006: Amos Odeyemi vs. IGP & 4 Ors which has now been
fixed for 213.2021
“As a result of the incident, the
Petitioner has lost his lower lip, lower jaw and teeth, he can no longer live
an average normal life, farm, carry on his produce merchant business or do any
other job, eat any solid food, talk well, control his saliva, appear in public
without using a towel to cover his mouth long before covid – 19 pandemic
surfaced and made the use of nose masks compulsory in 2020.
“The Petitioner has been maimed,
disfigured permanently and he now looks like a monster whose appearance
frightens most people and drives away people from him. He has been experiencing
serious pains and discomforts on daily basis and he remains on medication. If
he walks during the day, blood and saliva will be gushing out uncontrollable
from his mouth. He is now virtually a human vegetable. He was only 45 years old
when the incident happened but he is now 62 years old. He has a wife and 3
children and he is now living at the mercy of God, friends and Well-wishers.
2.08: Some print and electronic media have also published the Petitioner’s
tragedy.”
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com