A student of the Osun State College of Education, Adebayo Olaide is suing the Inspector General of Police, a police officer, Mukaila Gujuba, and three others for the sum of N100m for the loss of his left eye at a police checkpoint at Alagbayun Village, Ogo-Oluwa, LGA of Oyo State.
Mr Olaide, who filed the suit at an Oyo State High Court, is seeking a ruling that the action of Mr Gujuba, the third respondent, is unlawful and a violation of his rights.
The plaintiff explained that the incident happened at a checkpoint manned by Police Sergents Charles Omonia and Hammed Balogun including the following officers Ajolasi Bunmi, Abdulmalik Hassan, Morakinyo Joseph , Julius Apin, Abtrous Daniel, Ayeni Sunday, Akogun Bright, and Akaogba Saso.
He said that after being searched and asked to go by the policemen, Mr Gujuba, for some unclear reasons allegedly swung a long stick towards him hitting him in his left eye.
Mr Olaide accused the suspect of initially denying the said offense before accepting due to the overwhelming evidence against him.
O. A. Kupolati, who is the counsel to the defendant, presented a counter-affidavit explaining that what happened was an accident and Mr Gujuba did not mean to assault the plaintiff.
The Vanguard Newspapers reported that Mr Kupolati said his client’s rifle butt, which hung on his shoulders, accidentally hit Mr Olaide while he was trying to cross the road.
To show that the action was not intentional, he explained that he took out time to visit the victim in the hospital and at home and even offered to pay Mr Olaide N200,000 to mitigate the pains, an amount which N193,000 has been paid.
Peter Idowu, Counsel to the applicant said in his submission that the N100m demanded was “the general, exemplary and aggravated damages for the violation of his client’s fundamental human rights which resulted in loss of the left eye of the applicant and also a severe damage to his right eye.”
The presiding judge, Justice Mashud Abass, has fixed October 17 for hearing.