By Ameh Ejekwonyilo
A petitioner, Mr. Julius Ogalanya, at the Independent Investigative panel on Human Rights violations by the Defunct SARS and other units of police on Monday in Abuja, told the panel how his thighs were shattered by gunshots by one Gabriel Adi of the Nigeria Police.
The complainant who lamented before the panel sought justice and compensation, saying his means of livelihood had been shattered by the police.
In his testimony during the panel sitting Ogalanya said on the 2nd of April 2020, after the close of work, he decided to visit his friend’s house who took him out for a drink at the bar.
While taking his drink the bottle mistakenly dropped and broke and the owner of the Bar threatened to kill him for breaking the bottle. ‘You will see she said,’ the bar owner threatened.
Subsequently, the bar owner called the police who happened to be her alleged lover to arrest him, the petitioner told the panel.
He disclosed that when he subsequently got released, he was shot at the upper region of the leg by Gabriel Adi (the lover boy) of the Gwagwalada police division FCT Police Command.
According to Ogalanya the said policeman threatened him, “I told you will see, I thought you said police gun has no bullet,” he said, after firing a gunshot at him.
Meanwhile, the complainant said he was taken to the University of Abuja Gwagwalada Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, by a Good Samaritan.
Ogalanya said a surgery was carried out on him 3 times to fix his legs.
The Chairman of the panel, Justice Suleiman Galadima rtd said after listening to such a testimony, he expected the police to tender an apology to the victim citing that it was a clear case of gross violation of fundamental human rights.
According to Justice Galadima, the counsel to the police should make an inquiry into the amount the police has spent so far to offset the complainant’s medical bill and report back to the panel on the next adjourned date.
Responding Fidelis Ogobe regretted the unfortunate incident and upon investigation, he was duly informed that the police had paid for one of the surgeries carried out on the complainant, adding that he called the DPO who told him that Gabriel was on transfer to one of the police outpost at the outskirt of Gwagwalada.
The case has been adjourned till March 15, 2021, with the order that the police produce Gabriel Adi.
