Okuwobi panel: man narrates ordeal in hands of policemen

A 60-year-old building contractor, Mr. Olajide Fowotade has narrated to the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Enquiry on Restitution for victims of SARS Related Abused and other matters chaired by the retired judge of the Lagos judiciary, Justice Doris Okuwobi how policemen in plain clothes tortured him in 2017.

He told the panel that the policemen in plain clothes from the Ketu Division tortured him and removed his two teeth. Fowotade, the second petitioner before the panel on Saturday wept while taking oath before the panel.
 
He recounted that the policeman accused him of attempting to knock them down with his vehicle.

He told the panel that the officers removed two of his teeth before dragging him to their station. The motorcycle riding policemen were said to have accused him of attempting to run them over when he abruptly applied the brake to avoid hitting a tricycle that veered off its lane.

He said the incident took place on March 11, 2017, while he was preparing for his daughter’s wedding, which was scheduled for April 2, 2017. One of them identified as Ayo was said to have head-butted the contractor on the mouth, knocking off his two front teeth. 

Fowotade further stated that he was also thoroughly beaten up at the station, such that even the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) was alarmed and reprimanded the policemen, when he found out. 

He said weeks after, he was not himself and that he had spent thousands of naira trying to fix his teeth and leg. 

“How can somebody just beat me up and nothing happened?” He asked. When the panel asked him what he wanted, Fowotade said: “I want Justice”, adding that about N2million or N3miillion would compensate for his loss. 

The panel adjourned further proceedings in all the petitions till November 10. The panel has received 33 petitions as at Saturday 31, October, while four cases were called only two have been heard.