A phone repairer was knocked down by a police vehicle since May 2019 but abandoned to his fate in a hospital in Yenagoa. JOY EMMANUEL writes that he needs N5m for brain surgery
On Monday May 6 2019, everything was going on well for Mr Shedrack Ogbonna, a mobile phone repairer until his dreams of building a better life for his family was dashed, no thanks to a fatal accident that damaged part of his brain.
The doctors taking care of him at the Federal Medical Centre in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state told family members that Mr Ogbonna, who was on life support machine, suffered severe brain damage and would need about N5 million to have a chance to live a normal life again.
As he lay bedridden at the hospital waiting for help, report indicated that his wife and five children took shelter under a staircase within the hospital premises as they have been forced out of their apartment being unable to pay their rent that was due in June 2019, a month after the accident.
How it happened
The predicament of Ogbonna who hails from Okposi community in Ebonyi state began on May 6, 2019 after he was knocked down by a police van driving against traffic near Ekeki Motor Park where he (Ogbonna) repairs mobile phones in order to erk a living.
An eyewitness account has it that he was crossing over to the other side of the road in order to buy items he needed to repair a mobile phone belonging to one of his clients when the police van on high speed knocked him down.
According to his family, preliminary assessment by doctors revealed that the accident severely fractured his skull and damaged his left leg and arm.It was further learnt that the team of policemen in the van quickly rushed him to the emergency unit of the FMC where it was confirmed that he suffered severe brain damage and was later transferred to the intensive care unit where he was abandoned.
Abandoned by police, says vehicle on assignment for state gov’t
According to his wife, Mrs Asu Ogbonna, when she protested, the, Bayelsa command of the force initially agreed to take care of the medical bills of her husband but later changed their mind when they learnt that he would need N5million to be flown abroad for brain surgery.
According to her, the police withdrew their promise to support her family on the grounds that the policemen in the van that knocked him were carrying an assignment for the state government at the time; therefore, should not be expected to pay the hospital bills.
It was further gathered that when the family made further attempts to make the police reconsider their decision, the family was asked to go to court, saying they are ready for any legal battle.
Wife laments
Recounting her ordeal, Mrs Ogbonna said, “That morning, I left him in the house to Swali Market where I trade. Before I left, we talked about plans to raise money for our rent that was to expire in June. So, I was in the market when I got a call that my husband was involved in a car accident.
“When I got to the hospital, I found my husband in a bad condition. I thought he was dead. I was told that he was hit by a police van driving against traffic. The police promised to take care of his medical bills but the later said they would not give us a dime because it was the state government that sent them on an errand when the incident occurred.
“Since then, they abandoned me and my husband at the hospital. According to the doctors, my husband’s brain is so damaged that he needs to be flown abroad for surgery and that would cost us N5million. Where do I raise that kind of money from? As I speak with you, I now sleep under a staircase in the hospital with my five children because our landlord drove us out when we could not pay rent.
“All along, it is only my brother that supports me with money to buy drugs to keep my husband alive until we are able to raise money for the surgery. As we speak, my brother has also ran out of cash. It is not easy for me and my children. Paying for the life support machine and buying his drugs daily requires lots of money.
“Who do I turn to? What do I do with my life? I have prayed fervently for God’s intervention but it appears my prayer does not get to heaven because our condition gets worse by the day. I don’t even have money to feed myself and my children, talk more of paying bills at the hospital. I have gone to the police several times to plead with them but they have continued to turn me down, saying I should take the matter to court.
“Where would I have money to pay lawyers even if the only way out of my problems is to go to court? Our bill at the hospital right now is about a million naira and we are expected to raise another N5million for surgery. Meanwhile, the hospital management is on our neck to either pay or move my husband away. I am confused,” she lamented.
Also speaking, the brother-in-law of the victim, Mr Joseph Ngene said, “My inlaw’s condition is pathetic that I am short of words to describe it. He was going about his business when a police van driving against traffic knocked him down. If it were a vehicle owned by a private individual, I am sure the police would have done a good job to apprehend the person.
“But in this case, they are involved and they have refused to take responsibilities. According to the doctors, Ogbonna broke his left leg, left arm and that his skull was fractured during the accident. When we contacted the police, they said the driver of the van, Mr Ifeanyi Ikechukwu, was running errand for the state government when the accident occured and for that reason, we should rather approach the state government for support.
“Initially they were concerned because they came to the hospital once or twice to pay for drugs prescribed but after that, they stopped visiting. I then called the leader of the team that was in the van when it knocked Ogbonna down, one Oscar Jaja, he yelled at me saying I have no right to contact him. That if we think they are wrong we should go to court that he is ready. We have written a petition to the commissioner of police and a copy of that petition is before him.
“I have made efforts to meet with him one-on-one and he said the police cannot help us. And because we could not buy drugs that would help keep him strong until we get money to fly him abroad for the surgery, my brother’s condition is getting worse by the day. To feed him, doctors have to pass food through a pipe to feed him. He has not been able to move any part his body since they brought him to the hospital.
“As it is now, it is clear that my brother would never live a normal life again, yet the police is asking us to go to court because they know that we don’t have the power and finance to challenge them on the matter. I want to plead with well-meaning Bayelsans and Nigerians to come to our aide.”
Police on top of the matter – PPRO
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Bayelsa state command, Asinim Butswat, simply said that the police is doing its best to support the victim.
According to him, “The command has assisted the victim with funds for treatment and it’s not relenting to ensure that the plight of the patient is ameliorated.” However Blueprint gathered that beyond that, there has not been any help again, meanwhile Ogbonna is dying gradually by the day.
