Ejigbo torture: ‘Pepper mixed with gin was rubbed on my body’

A Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja was told how defendants rubbed pepper mixed with gin on her body in an ongoing trial of the 10 suspects allegedly involved in the torture of Ajoke Agomo and her children over alleged theft of pepper in Ejigbo market two years ago.

At the resume hearing, the witness, Mrs. Ajoke Agomo, told the court, presided over by Justice Atinuke Ipaye, that Buhari Yusuf and Aruna Abdullahi were asked to bring grounded pepper they rubbed on her body.

Under cross-examination by counsel to second and third defendants, Mr. Tunji Busari, the witness, (the mother) insisting that she was stripped naked, said that Buhari Yusuf and Aruna Abdullahi were asked to bring grounded pepper they rubbed on her body. ‎
She maintained that they mixed the ground pepper with Chelsea dry gin and rubbed it on her and her two daughters.

“When I got to the scene of the incident, my daughters were already maltreated and Iya-loja (Market Women Leader) ordered that I should be stripped naked too. All I want in this matter is justice,” she said.

It would be recalled that the Lagos State government had‎ charged Ahmed Adisa, Isiaka Waidi, Saheed Adisa, Lateef Tijani, Oloruntoyin Dauda, Adekunle Adenuga, Azeez Akinosun, Jimoh Busari, Buhari Yusuf, and Abdullahi Harun to court for their involvement in the torture and molestation of the women.They were accused of conspiracy, attempted murder, sexual assault, malicious administering of poison, obtaining money by false pretences and deprivation of liberty.

Earlier in her testimony, Agomo had told the court how she and her daughters were stripped naked and pepper robbed on their faces and private parts.

She said they were assaulted by the defendants, who are members of the Odua Peoples Congress (OPC) and market leaders and others in Ejigbo.

She further narrated to the court how the defendants stripped her daughter and stepdaughter (Julie) naked. She said that they took hold of her and proceeded to strip her naked and rubbed pepper all over her face and private parts.

She further alleged that the Baba Oloja and others mixed pepper with gin before “rubbing the mixture into their private parts and stirring the place with a stick.

“They then beat us mercilessly with pankere (cane). We were all pleading with them but they did not listen.