Visually impaired man cries out to AGF, IGP for N20m court judge

Visually impaired man cries out to AGF, IGP for N20m court judgment
enforcement

A victim of police brutality, Mr. Adebayo Olaide, on Wednesday pleaded with
the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr.
Abubakar Malami, and the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase to ensure the enforcement of a court judgment which awarded N20m to him against the Nigeria Police Force.

He said he got the judgment from Oyo State High Court on January 22, 2013
and that it was upheld by Court of Appeal, Ibadan Division on April 15,
2014.

He stated that he had been able to receive only N313,000 out of the N20m.

While speaking at a media conference in llorin, he said he was brutalized by the
police on June 25, 2009 along Oyo Road, Alagbayun village near Odo Oba, close to Ogo Oluwa Local Government Area of Oyo State leading to his current visual impairment.

The now visually impaired said he is currently undergoing excruciating
poverty adding that he faces ejection because of unpaid rents and that his
children had been driven away from school because of his inability to foot
their school bills.

Olaide said, “The AGF and IGP should please kindly help me and pay the
money quickly because I have suffered. Only my wife’s family and my friends
have been helping me.

I am married to a wife with two children, Jethro (six years) and Praise
(three years). Now they have sent my children away from school and they
have not been going to school again because of my inability to pay their
school fees. My pastor, an old man at Ogbomosho called Okanlawon, who was
a retired police officer, but he died at 94, and one of my friends, have
been helping me. Also my wife’s mother have been assisting me.

“The place I am leaving now, they want to send me out because I owe them
two years’ rent. It has not been easy feeding my family. I am now a beggar,
going up and down, to my friends, including going to garages to beg from my friends who are drivers. Sometimes, I will go to my wife’s mother for
assistance. After church service, my pastor usually give me some money.
That is how I have been living. I really need help. I need the remaining
judgment money paid to me.”

Olaide’s lawyer, Mr. Wale Adesokan, had written to the AGF on February
26, 2016. The letter was acknowledged on March 24 by one Mrs. Ngozi Calista
Nkem on behalf of the AGF.

Adesokan in the letter reiterated that Olaide was brutalized by Officers of
the Nigeria Police Force, Oyo State Command on June 25, 2009 at Alagbayun village near Odo Oba, Ogo
Oluwa LGA of Oyo State.

He stated that the brutality resulted in the loss of Olaide’s left eye and
also caused severe damage to his right eye, which injuries, he said, had posed serious challenge to his client.

According to him, due to the injuries sustained, Olaide instituted an action in Suit No: M/554/2011 at the High Court of Oyo State against the IGP, the Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Command, Mr. Mukailu Gujuba
(Force No.768142); the Minister of Police Affairs and the AGF. He stated
that the matter was for the enforcement of Olaide’s fundamental rights to
dignity of human person and for damage for the loss and impairment of his
sight.

Adesokan said judgement was delivered in the suit on January 22, 2013 and
the court awarded N20m as damages for the violation of Olaide’s rights to
dignity of his person resulting in loss of sight, adding that the judgment
was served on the respondents.

The counsel said it is now over two years since the judgement was delivered
and the judgment remained unsatisfied despite all attempts and pleas by
Olaide to the police authorities.

He stated that the passionate appeal to the AGF had become necessary because Olaide’s right eye had started to deteriorate. He added that medical practitioners had recommended another series of surgeries on the eye to prevent him, from becoming totally blind because of the overbearing and unlawful action of aggressor, who beat Olaide with the butt of the rifle.

“We humbly appeal to you to use your good offices to direct the relevant
authorities to comply with the judgement of the court to enable our client undergo the series of eye surgeries recommended by the medics so as to save our client from imminent blindness which will make him a liability not only
to his immediate family, but to the society at large.”
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