A victim of police brutality, Mr. Olaide Adebayo, has call on the Federal Government, Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) and human rights activists to help him compel the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu, to ensure the enforcement of a court judgment delivered on Tuesday, January 22, 2013 at the High Court sitting in Ibadan which awarded the sum of N20 million against the Nigeria Police.
Speaking with members of the Nigeria Guild of Investigative Journalists (NGIJ), Adebayo said he instituted the case; suit no M/554/2001 after he was attacked by policemen on Thursday, June 25, 2009 along Alagbayan village near Odoba, Osun state.
“The Nigeria Police appealed the judgment but on Tuesday, April 15, 2014 the Court of Appeal, Ibadan Division, upheld the judgment of the High Court. But the Police have refused to pay. Since the judgment was delivered one lawyer in Lagos was able to collect N313,000 out of the N20 million awarded through garnish,” he told NGIJ members.
According to him, his lawyer had written to the AGF on February 26, 2016. The letter was acknowledged on March 24, 2016 by Mrs. Ngozi Calista Nkem on behalf of the AGF but till date nothing has been heard again.
“In January this year I got in touch with Ordinary Ahmed of Brekete Family and he asked me to come to Abuja. I spoke on air on January 23 and many people reacted to my story. I have given updates on the issue several time but till date the Police have refused to pay up,” he said.
Apart from Brekete Family, Adebayo also commended a Commissioner in the Police Service Commission, Hajiya Najatu Muhammad, who he described as a mother. He also said the Legal Aid Council has stepped in and written to the IGP and other relevant authorities yet the Police is unyielding.
He stated that the passionate appeal to the IGP had become necessary because his right eye had started to deteriorate. He added that medical practitioners had earlier recommended another series of surgeries on the eye to prevent him from becoming totally blind.
In his words, “The IGP should please kindly help me and pay the money quickly because I have suffered. I am married with two children who can’t go to school because of my inability to pay their school fees.
“I have become totally irresponsible because I can no longer take care of my family and I am heavily indebted. Presently, I am squating at a Church in Abuja here and only go home to Osun state once in a while to see my family. Already, I have borrowed so much to fund my stay here in Abuja and getting the judgment money is the only way to repay my debts.
“I appeal to all well meaning Nigerians, the federal government, Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) and human rights activists to help me appeal to the relevant authorities, especially the Inspector General of Police, to comply with the judgment of the court to enable me undergo the series of eye surgeries recommended by the medical practitioners so as to save me from imminent blindness which will make me a liability not only to my immediate family, but to the society at large.”
Rowland ’Shuwa
