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A graduate of Mass Communication, single mother and caterer, Tomiwa Oni, in this interview with DAYO OYEWO, recounts her harrowing encounter with officers of the Ogun State Police Command, who she alleged shot her while returning from her place of work in the Ota area of the state. Excerpts:
Where were you coming from on the day you had an encounter with the police?
I was returning from where I had gone for a catering job.
So how did it all happen?
I was in the car with my sister, my staff and a driver and when we got to the Ijoba Bus Stop along Lafenwa Ota Road in the Ota Local Government Area, an unregistered mini commercial bus suddenly flashed its light. We had already moved close to them before we realised they parked in the middle of the road ahead of us. Two of the officers came out of the bus and another two officers came out of the bush by the road, holding guns. They were wearing mufti. Without asking for particulars or even identifying ourselves, the next thing one of the officers said was that we should give them money. So I said I don’t have cash with me. I even tried to look for cash in my bag but could not find it. I then asked if they would accept if I transferred to their account and one of them said ‘Transfer ko, transfer ni’, another officer said they should leave us and allow us to go. So the moment we set to move, the next thing I heard was a gunshot.
What happened afterwards?
I was sitting at the back of the car and my sister was beside me. So the moment I heard the gunshot, the next thing I shouted was, ‘My back’ and that was the last thing I knew until I woke up at the hospital five days later.
How did you feel when you woke up?
My condition was critical at that moment because I could not look at my tummy due to the cuts. The bullet pierced through my stomach from the back, all through to the front. The wound on my back was very deep. The pain was so much that I was begging for death. I begged the doctors to take my life. It was like a living hell for me.
What role did your family play in your survival?
I was transferred to LASUTH from the hospital where I was first admitted. Everybody around me was looking for money for my treatment. My dad was sleeping in his car and did not even have his bath for seven days. My siblings were sleeping on the deck of a building in the hospital. My mum was with me in the ward.
How has the survival journey been?
It has really been a tough moment for me. It is just like the whole world coming down on me. I can’t sit properly, I can’t walk properly, I can no longer do anything to make a living (sobbing). I was told part of my intestines was cut off and it affected my digestive system, which the doctors have to place in another position and it made me eat just two spoons of food a day now and more fruits. Taking drugs every day is not what I am used to, but I have to keep doing it. Again, going to the hospital for check-ups and tests is also another stress entirely.
How has your three-year-old daughter been faring since the incident happened?
I have not been able to take care of my daughter. It is the most painful part because I have been the only one responsible for her upkeep. She was the reason why I went for the job that day because I wanted to use the money to settle her school fees. For now, she is no longer going to school because my parents who could have taken up the responsibility have run into debt as a result of different loans they obtained for my treatment.
Were the police officers later identified?
Yes. Enquiry and subsequent investigation by the police revealed their identities. The team has three policemen and one female officer. I did not see them but I was told they did not feel remorseful. According to what my dad told me, one of them said connection pass connection and that there is nothing we can do about it. I was also told that all the police officers were back at the station. Even the former state Commissioner of Police came to the hospital and promised justice but all I get is injustice. When my father went to the police station the next day after the incident, the DPO told him that it was a robbery attack and that no police officer went out on patrol that night. It was later that my dad located the vehicle they used, took the picture, got some other evidence and took them to the state command headquarters before they admitted that it was their officers who committed the act. We learnt the man who shot the bullet did the same thing at Idiroko three months before he was transferred to Itele police station. The CP later invited my dad and the officers, including the DPO. At the meeting, the CP said they had confessed to him. The DPO said they were on illegal duty and that the female among them was supposed to be at the counter on that fateful day. She said there was a patrol van available for the police but wondered why they used an unregistered bus which also belonged to the woman.
How has the incident affected your personal life?
I used to be a very agile person, there is no work I can’t do. The most painful part of it was when I was told that the bullet had damaged my womb. I felt useless hearing that(sobbing). I just felt useless. They have ruined my life because as it is, I don’t know what next step to take. I can’t even think straight. I don’t know where to start. Is it paying back my loan or starting from scratch? Or is it how to take care of the little one with me? During my stay in the hospital, my dad and my siblings were running about for money because it was unexpected. This made us run into debt. The money gotten so far could not even cover the bills.
What plans do the doctors have to correct the damage to your womb?
I heard there could be some kind of adjustment on the womb and my stomach, and that it is only when they fly me out of the country for proper treatment. I hope I will be able to do that because it is like living a life that I have nothing else to accomplish. It is so hard to live my life the way it used to be. I got a shop not up to three months before the incident happened, but it is not there because I heard they rented the place and moved everything in the shop out.
Did you experience any emotional trauma or PTSD symptoms as a result of the incident?
Yes, anytime I see any uniformed officer on my way to the hospital, I always scream. There was a time when I was being taken to the hospital and a road safety official stopped our vehicle, I just kept screaming. I can’t afford to see uniformed men any longer. Their appearances, especially in black uniforms, are traumatising. The second time was when I saw policemen dragging with a tricycle rider, I started screaming again until my mother grabbed me and said they were not coming to meet me. Now my dad said I used to say strange things when I saw uniformed men.
What are your expectations from police authorities on this issue?
I need justice and compensation, at least to clear the debts and also continue my treatment. Close to N10m has so far been spent on my medical bills and by the estimated cost, about N30m will be needed for my treatment abroad. We wrote a letter to the state governor, through the Office of the Secretary to the State Government, but there is no response yet. Also, more than six letters were written to the CP before he retired. We have also written three letters to the Inspector General of Police. All these letters were acknowledged but no feedback yet.
