Corps member loses eye to police brutality in Ekiti

Anthony Ebuka Onuagbara

A 26-year old corps member has lost his right eye following injury he sustained when he was allegedly beaten by some policemen in Ado Ekiti recently.

Anthony Ebuka Onuagbara, a native of Ezeama-Amichi, Nnewi South local government area of Anambra state, who is observing his compulsory one-year service at the bursar’s office in Ekiti State University, said some men of the Special Anti-robbery Squad stormed his house at Bode Ayeni area of Adebayo on August 12, 2012 and started unleashing beating on the occupants.

The beatings followed a complaint from a lady to the police that a corper in the house had harassed her sexually.

Presently, Anthony is fast losing his sight, having undergone eye surgery at the Ekiti State Teaching Hospital, the bill he personally sponsored without any help from the police authorities.

Recounting his ordeal to newsmen yesterday, Anthony, who cried profusely, said a fellow corper, Michael, picked the lady, who was an alleged sex worker, at about 6pm on August 12, 2012 at Fajuyi Area of Ado Ekiti to spend the night with him with the agreement to pay her N3,000.

Anthony disclosed that disagreement ensued immediately Michael took the woman home at about 8pm that day because Michael confessed that he only had N2,000 to offer her.

He said Michael’s action infuriated the woman and this forced her to call police SARS operatives and reported the case to them by lying that she was abused sexually, even when nothing took place between them.

Anthony explained that shortly after the lady left, some SARS operatives bombarded the premises at about 11pm and started breaking the doors and unleashed beatings on the occupants.

“As I was sleeping, I heard a bang on my door and suddenly I woke up. And immediately the policemen got into my apartment, one of them hit me in my right eye with the butt of his rifle and I started bleeding from the eye.”

The victim explained further that four corps members, including him, were arrested that night and clamped in detention.

They were later arraigned before a magistrate court in Ado Ekiti on a two-count charge of rape and felony.

He said he was detained for four days without access to medication even though his right eye had shrunk before they were bailed out by a lawyer he identified as Barrister Okeya, so that he could have access to medical help.

But they were discharged and acquitted on September 5, 2012, when the police withdrew their case against them on the ground that there was no evidence to try them for the alleged offences.

He said he had complained to the National Youth Service Corps Zonal Inspector in Ado Ekiti, but expressed regret that no effort had been made to bail him out of his predicament.

The Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, Mr Victor Babayemi Olu, said the Corps member had written a petition to the Commissioner of Police, Mr Sotonye Wakama, and high-powered delegation has been set up to investigate the matter.

The PPRO said: “I can’t preempt the outcome, but I can assure you that if any official acted in such brutal manner, he will be made to face the music. We just need a little more time to complete the investigation and the truth shall be revealed.”

Source: Blueprint.