This is a report of the thirty-eighth public hearing of the Oyo State Judicial Panel of Inquiry into Police Brutality, Violation of Rights of Citizens and Unlawful Killings in Oyo State.
Venue: The House of Chiefs, Oyo State House of Assembly, Ibadan, Oyo State.
Date: Thursday, April 22, 2021.
Today’s sitting commenced at about 9:18am, shortly after the arrival of the Oyo State Judicial Panel members.
Petitions for Mention at the Oyo State Judicial Panel
1. Case No. OYJPPB/089
Pastor Ajayi Opeyemi Isaac v The Nigeria Police, Akanran Police Station. The petitioner was present and was represented by M. O. Olagunju (Esq.). Meanwhile, the respondent was represented by Mr M. A. Ojeah.
The respondent’s counsel, Mr Ojeah told the Oyo State Judicial Panel that he had been served with the processes of the petition but was yet to file an appropriate response.
With the approval of both counsels, the petition was adjourned by the Oyo State Judicial Panel till May 11, 2021 for mention.
2. Case No. OYJPPB/091
Mr Alamu Toheeb v Nigeria Police, Eleyele Station. The petitioner was present and was represented by O. P. Adenuga (Esq.). Meanwhile, the respondent was represented by Mr M. A. Ojeah.
Mr Ojeah, the respondent’s counsel told the Oyo State Judicial Panel that he had been served but was yet to file a response. He therefore sought for an adjournment to enable him file the necessary response.
Therefore, the Oyo State Judicial Panel adjourned the petition till May 18, 2021 for hearing.
3. Case No. OYJPPB/092
Mr Azeez Jabaru v The Nigeria Police, Mokola Station. The petitioner was present and was represented by M. O. Olagunju (Esq.). The respondent was represented by Mr M. A. Ojeah.
The petitioner’s counsel, Mr Olagunju told the Oyo State Judicial Panel that the respondent promised to present the officer related to the petition at the last adjourned date but had refused to fulfil his promise to the panel. He therefore prayed the panel to issue a summon to Mr Momoh through the Police Officer in Charge Legal, CSP Funke Fawole.
In response, Mr Ojeah, the respondent’s counsel said that he was unaware of the arrangement. The respondent was served with the processes of the petition on the 17th of March, 2021 but was yet to file a response.
With this, the Oyo State Judicial Panel adjourned the petition till May 11, 2021 for hearing.
4. Case No. OYJPPB/058
Comrade Sulayman Adeniyi & Anor v The Nigeria Police, Intelligence Response Team. The petitioners were present but were not represented by a legal counsel. Meanwhile, Mr M. A. Ojeah appeared on behalf of the respondent.
This petition was adjourned to 6th May, 2021 for hearing.
Petitions for Hearing at the Oyo State Judicial Panel
5. Case No. OYJPPB/007
Olayiwola Oyedokun v Nigeria Police, Bodija Police Station & Iyana Offa Police Station. The petitioner was present and was represented by Abiodun Akinmoyo (Esq.) and D. O. Olatunji (Esq.). Meanwhile, the respondent was represented by Mr M. A. Ojeah. The petitioner was invited to the witness stand and he was sworn on the Bible.
The name of the petitioner is Emmanuel Olayiwola Oyedokun. He resides at (redacted) Ibadan. He is 80 years old. He is a pensioner. He filed the petition on the 9th of November, 2020.
He said that at exactly 5am on July 23rd, 2020, he heard someone say ‘that is the man,’ as he made an attempt to shut the door of his toilet. He said that he didn’t know he was the one being referred to at first. He said he wanted to run inside but was hit on the head.
He said some men on mufti attacked and threatened to kill him if he doesn’t cooperate with them. He said that he was so afraid that he was going to die, so he reached out for his cutlass with which he hit one of them out of defence. He said they shot the tear gas at him and he became unconscious.
He said the men held his hands and legs to drag him out when he became conscious. He said that he was taken to Bodija Police Station and he heard them tell the police men that they have seen the baba they were looking for.
He said he was taken from there to Iyana Offa Police Station but the police officers pulled over at a hideout and accused him of attempting to kill a police officer with a cutlass. He said the first person who said ‘that is the man,’ left after he was settled by the police.
He said that he was severely beaten at Iyana Offa Police Station. He said that he was detained in the cell till the next day and wasn’t told the reason for the arrest. He said that he was told to write a statement but he refused to and only wrote a statement when his lawyer arrived the next day. He said the police told him that they were looking for two of his children named Olanrewaju and Olayinka because they had stolen corn from the farm of the person who brought the police to arrest him.
With this, he prayed the Oyo State Judicial Panel to compensate him with the sum of N50 million because he was severely beaten, threatened and detained for what he knew nothing about.
Therefore, the Oyo State Judicial Panel members and the respondent’s counsel, Mr Ojeah took turns to cross examine the petitioner and the petition was adjourned till May 5, 2021 for further hearing.
6. Case No. OYJPPB/053
Samuel Ogundeji v The Nigeria Police, Saki Area Command. The petitioner was present alongside his guardian, Mr Adegboola and was represented by Ola Adeosun (Esq.), Opeyemi Makinde (Esq.) and Stephen David (Esq.). Meanwhile Mr M. A. Ojeah maintained appearance on behalf of the respondent. The petitioner was invited to the witness stand and was sworn on the Bible.
The petitioner’s name is Samuel Ogundeji. He lives at (redacted) Saki. He is a student. The petitioner came with a guardian who identified his statement on oath and prayed the Oyo State Judicial Panel to adopt his statement as his evidence because the petitioner is blind. This petition is about a young boy of twenty years who was wrongly accused of stealing a purse and was tortured by the police, until he lost his sight.
With this, the petitioner’s counsel tendered some documents which include Mr Adegboola’s petition to the Commissioner of Police, Mr Adegboola’s reminder to the Commissioner of Police dated April 3, 2019, Barr. Ola Adeosun’s letter to the Inspector General of Police dated September 12, 2019, medical receipts and medical card and they were admitted and marked as exhibits.
He prayed the Oyo State Judicial Panel for a compensation of N500 million to enable him operate the eyes and have a fresh start in life. The panel inquired about the cost of the operation which would be carried out outside the country from Mr Adeosun but he said he was not sure. He however said that there is hope that the petitioner would recover his sight if he travels abroad for the operation.
With this the petitioner was cross examined by the respondent’s counsel and members of the Oyo State Judicial Panel. The respondent’s counsel, Mr Ojeah however prayed for an adjournment to enable him present his witnesses.
The petition was therefore adjourned by the Oyo State Judicial Panel till May 18, 2021 for further hearing to enable the respondent open a defence.
7. Case No. OYJPPB/071
Mr Isadele John Olusegun v The Nigeria Police, Intelligence Response Team. The petitioner was present and was represented by Adeyemi Giwa (Esq.). Meanwhile, the respondent was represented by M. A. Ojeah.
The petition was slated for further hearing and the respondent opened a defence by presenting his witness before the Oyo State Judicial Panel. With this, the witness was invited to the witness stand and was sworn on the Quran.
The name of the witness is Sergeant Simbiat Bello. She is attached to Monatan Police Divisional Headquarters, Alabebe Ibadan. She said that she knows the petitioner, Mr John. She stated that at about 7am on the 12th of October, 2020, one Hammed Olaide came to report at Monatan Police Station that at about 8:30pm on the 9th of October, 2020 his close friend, Adekunle Ajao, who was riding his motorcycle with registration number (redacted) was knocked down by the petitioner, who drove a white Sienna bus with registration number (redacted), and had sustained injury as a result of the accident.
She said that he came to complain because his friend was not well taken care of at Academy Hospital where he had taken him. She said she went to the hospital with her DTO but was told that the motorcyclist, Mr Ajao had been transferred to Adeoyo Hospital Ring Road, Ibadan, when they could not afford the bill at Academy Hospital. She said that she saw the petitioner’s vehicle at Academy Hospital and told the doctor not to release the vehicle to the owner because the matter had been reported at Alabebe Police Station.
She said that the petitioner was informed to appear at the station in respect of the accident he was involved in. She said that when the petitioner came to the station, they proceeded to the scene where the accident had happened at Oyediji Bus Stop, Along Olodo, Ibadan and they found the motorcycle belonging to Mr Ajao parked beside the road fully damaged. She said that she went back to the station to update her DPO after which she went back to Academy Hospital to tow the witness’ car. She said that the damaged motorcycle and the petitioner’s car were taken to the station and were recorded for safe keeping.
She said that she went to Adeoyo Hospital Ring Road, Ibadan where she took Mr Kunle Ajao’s statement in the presence of the petitioner. She said that Mr Kunle told her that Mr Isadele had agreed to foot the medical bills and that his friend had reported because they could not reach an agreement. She said that the victim’s photograph was taken and she tendered the said photograph before the Oyo State Judicial Panel. The photograph was admitted and marked as an exhibit.
She said that the hoodlums invaded the police premises on the 22nd of October, 2020 and burnt down the Sienna bus belonging to Mr John Isadele and the motorcycle belonging Mr Kunle Ajao. She said that the entire Police Headquarters was razed down and there is a pictorial evidence to prove the statement.
She said that while the vehicle was in the premises of the police station, the victim was still in the hospital and there was no agreement between the victim and petitioner to resolve the matter. She said that the petitioner came willingly to the station and the accident was a traffic offence.
The witness was cross examined and the petitioner brought his case to a close. With this, the petition was adjourned sine die by the Oyo State Judicial Panel.
8. Case No. OYJPPB/001
The Family of Jimoh Isiaq, Taiwo Adeoye, Moshood Ganiu and Pelumi Olatunji v The Nigeria Police. The petitioners were present and were represented by Usain Afolabi (Esq.) and Olusegun Kofoworola (Esq.). Meanwhile, Mr M. A. Ojeah maintained appearance on behalf of the respondents.
The petition was last adjourned for further hearing to enable the respondent’s counsel cross examine the petitioner’s first witness, Mr Areo Akintunde who was an eye witness to the incident and who also tried to rescue the deceased.
The respondent’s counsel, Mr Ojeah cross examined the witness based on the facts of the case as provided in the electronic evidence. With this, the second witness was invited to the witness stand and was sworn on the Quran.
The second witness is Jimoh Atanda. He was the father of the deceased. He resides at (redacted) Ogbomoso. He implored the Oyo State Judicial Panel to adopt his statement on oath as his oral evidence. He prayed the government to compensate him with the sum of N20 million naira.
The petitioner’s counsel therefore tendered the deceased’s picture, the videos from the incident and the flash drive containing the videos and pictures of the deceased family before the Oyo State Judicial Panel and they were admitted and marked as exhibits.
The petitioner was crossed examined and the witness for the Family of Taiwo Adeoye was invited to the witness stand and was sworn on the Bible.
The Family of Taiwo Adeoye
The name of the witness is Adeoye Timothy. He lives at (redacted) Ogbomoso. He was the deceased’s older brother. He prayed the Oyo State Judicial Panel to adopt his statement on oath as his oral evidence. He prayed the panel for a compensation of N50 million because of the family and the deceased’s wife who are left behind.
The petitioner’s counsel tendered the relevant documents and a flash drive containing the pictures of the deceased before and after the incident and they were admitted and marked as exhibits. With this, the witness was cross examined and the witness for the Family of Moshood Ganiu was invited to the witness stand. He was sworn on the Quran.
The Family of Moshood Ganiyu
The name of the witness is Ganiyu Amuda. He resides at (redacted) Ogbomoso. He was the deceased’s father. He prayed the Oyo State Judicial Panel to adopt his statement on oath as his oral evidence. He prayed the panel for a compensation of N50 million.
With this, the petitioner’s counsel tendered the videos, pictures of the deceased and the incident relating to his death before the Oyo State Judicial Panel and they were admitted and marked as exhibits.
The witness was therefore cross examined by the respondent’s counsel and the witness for the Family of Pelumi Olatunji was invited to the witness stand. She was sworn on the Bible.
The Family of Pelumi Olatunji
The name of the witness is Esther Matthew. She was the mother of the deceased. She prayed the Oyo State Judicial Panel to adopt her statement on oath as her oral evidence. The petitioner had written the petition because her son was hit by a stray bullet during the last #EndSARS protest. She therefore prayed the government for a compensation of N50 million.
With this, the petitioner’s counsel tendered the deceased’s photographs before and after his death and they were admitted and marked as exhibits by the Oyo State Judicial Panel.
The petitioner was cross examined and the petition was adjourned till May 20, 2021 for further hearing to enable the respondent open a defence.
9. Case No. OYJPPB/019
Mr Sesan Opadotun Family v Commissioner of Police, Oyo State. The petitioner was absent but was represented by his mother, Olunike Opadotun and his legal counsel, Mosebolatan Oyedeji (Esq.). Meanwhile, the respondent was represented by Mr M. A. Ojeah.
The petitioner’s counsel, Mosebolatan Oyedeji (Esq.) told the Oyo State Judicial Panel that the petitioner was absent because he was receiving medical treatment in the hospital.
The respondent’s counsel, Mr Ojeah said that he had been served with the processes of the petition but was yet to file a response.
With this, the Oyo State Judicial Panel adjourned the petition till May 18, 2021 for hearing.
Having gone through the proceedings for today, the hearing was brought to a close at about 6:25pm.