I Want Scholarship For My Children, Petitioner Tells Panel

A petitioner, Silifat Adeyemo, who appeared before the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry probing allegations of human rights abuses against the police, testified against the police, saying her husband was shot by a SARS official exactly two years ago.

Her husband, Rotimi Adeyemo, an official of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, was killed by a policeman attached to the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) Unit on November 28, 2018.

“He was a Level 8 official, preparing for promotion, after almost 3 years working for the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA),” she said.

Silifat said she expected him back home from work as usual but unknown to her, something had happened at about 6 pm.

All tears, the witness said: “At 10 pm that day, my sister-in-law came to my house and told me my husband was involved in an accident. I thought we were going to the hospital but instead, we went to my family house, that was when I was told that my husband was dead.”

She however said the policeman responsible for her husband’s death was not tried, save that he was lynched at the scene of the incident because her husband was popular and loved in the area.

Read also: #EndSARS: Man Demands Justice For Slain Girlfriend

“I want the panel to help me financially, because it has not been easy ever since he left me with the kids to care of. The future of my children is most paramount to me. I want them to be given good education up till the university level. I don’t know if they can grant them scholarship to university; and also give us a good house,” she added.

According to her, to get to her business every day she still passes the route where her husband was killed and relives the trauma of his passing every time.

While cross-examining her, counsel to the police, Joseph Eboseremen, said that the SARS official involved was not just beaten up by boys and officials of LASTMA, he was also lynched to death.

The counsel also asked if she did not receive a ₦10m compensation from the Lagos State Government.

In her response, the petitioner agreed that she did but noted that the compensation was not from the Police and was given when her children were still very young.

When the counsel tries to suggest that this was the compensation agreed on and the petitioner is not entitled to more, the Chairman of the panel, Justice Doris Okuwobi asked him to bring proof of this and adjourned further proceedings till December 11.