A petitioner, Ndukwe Ekekwe, has narrated his ordeal in the hands of operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). Speaking befo
A petitioner, Ndukwe Ekekwe, has narrated his ordeal in the hands of operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
Speaking before the Judicial Panel of Inquiry and Restitution set up by the Lagos State Government to investigate police brutality and high-handedness by officers of the now-defunct unit, Ekekwe said he was randomly arrested by SARS officers on February 16, 2018.
Without any valid reason, he said he was beaten up and then transferred to their office in Ikeja. Beyond the beating, Ekekwe said he was stabbed at different parts of his body by the officers, and later taken to his shop at Alaba where they broke in and started auctioning his products. Thereafter, as he started shouting for help, he said the officers took him up a two-story building and threw him down – an incident which caused him to break his spine.
Although he survived the incident, Ekekwe is now confined to a wheelchair. He told the panel that he would like to be compensated, as he also lost goods worth N15million.
The panel which commenced its sittings last week is expected to ensure justice for the victims of police brutality.
