How my only child was killed by police, woman tells Ekiti panel

A 68-year-old woman, Mrs Elizabeth Olatunji, has disclosed how her only child was killed by police in Ire-Ekiti, Oye Local Government Area of Ekiti State.

Olatunji who appeared before the State Judicial Panel of Inquiry into allegations of human rights violations against police, on Tuesday, revealed that her son, Tope Olatunji, was felled by the bullet allegedly fired by operatives of the police on August 10, 2020, in the community.

According to her, she was preparing to go to the farm on the day of the incident when she heard the noise of gunshots and everybody was running for safety following the violence that erupted in the town over the celebration of Ogun festival.

“Being my only son, I was calling him from our house to run home but was felled by the bullets as he was running towards our house,” she said.

She added that her husband, Mr Olatunji Joshua, died after eleven days of his only son’s death following the shock, pleading with the panel to consider her with N25 million as compensation for her to live a worthy life.

Also at the sitting, a 35-year-old man, Mr Simon Olusegun, narrated how his pregnant wife Catherine, was killed by police on the same day in the community.

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Olusegun who said his wife was two-month-old pregnant noted that he was in church on August 10, 2020, when he received a call from his brother about the incident.

The father of two said: “I left home for the church and my wife said she was going to buy food for the family. About ten minutes after I got to the church, I received a call from a brother who said I should be coming home that something has happened.

“I got to the place and found my pregnant wife died on the floor with gunshots wounds in her left ear.”

He pleaded with the panel to offer him N30 million as compensation to sponsor the education of his two children,” because I believe these kids will become great persons in life.”

However, counsel to the police, Samson Osobu said police officers were only drafted to the town to maintain law and order following the cancellation of the Ogun festival by the state government.

He added that policemen were attacked and brutalized during the mayhem, saying” the community even came out with a communique apologising to the police for the injuries sustained.”

The chairman of the panel, Justice Cornelius Akintayo (Retd) adjourned the case to January 19, 2020, for further hearing and appearance of witnesses in the cases mentioned.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

How my only child was killed by police, woman tells Ekiti panel