Mr David Adoyi, has narrated in chilling details, how a policeman, who allegedly wanted to collect a bribe, caused him to lose his fingers in a freak accident.
Due to the accident Adoyi did not only lose his fingers, but is now indigent, depending on people to feed. He is jobless and his children have dropped out of school, he said.
He has been suffering since 2022, he said and tragically, even the policeman that caused the accident is yet to check on him and his family, let alone to apologise.
According to Adoyi, the Nigeria Police Force seemed to have swept the matter under the carpet, while he and his family are suffering and begging to eat.
Some few days ago, Adoyi reached out to a human rights organization, Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), a human right organization, desperately in need of assistance.
His words: “Please I’m begging you as regard my case, can you advise me because it’s been three years now and the case is still lingering and being at home all this while. As a family man, my vehicle is nowhere to be found and is truly getting tougher for me and my kids are not going to school anymore.
“I am going through excruciating pain every day with my hand, just don’t know what to do, just feel like committing suicide. I’m always indoor, I don’t go anywhere. I’m truly dying here.”
Recalling the event that led to him becoming maimed, Adoyi narrated: “On the 10th of January 2022 at about 6:48am, I was going out on my normal business as an uber driver heading to the Victoria lsland from Ikorodu.
“On getting to the Ketu axis along the Ikorodu Road at the front of the Divisional Police Station there were two policemen standing by the road, they flagged me.
“After stopping me, I greeted them, I asked the police officer what the problem officer is, he told me to park, I told him the place was too narrow to park because I will be causing traffic obstruction.
“He did not listen, rather he commanded me to park with a commanding tune. I obeyed him because he is a police officer. He then ordered me to step down from my vehicle.
“He asked for my driver’s license, which I gave to him. He further asked for my vehicle particulars, I gave them to him.
“He went further to ask for my road worthiness, I then had to ask him if there was any problem. After seeing all the documents, he went to the front of my car to check if the documents I gave to him tally with the plate number of the car.
“With the hope that since my documents were up to date, he will release me to go. However, from the front he came to the back to check the plate number again, from there he said ‘oga your plate number is fake.’
“I asked him how, he said he told me that the plate number was fake, I replied to him that officer the plate number was not fake. I asked him if the number was different from the one at the front of the car.
“He insisted it was fake. I said officer I have lost the iron plate number due to the flood at Victoria Island where I work so since I didn’t have money to do the new plate number for now, I went to court to get affidavit and police report to print the plastic plate number.
“I think I have the right by law to used the plastic one, he now flared up, asking if wanted to teach him his job. I responded that I couldn’t teach him his job.
“He went to sit at the front passenger seat of my car, and ordered me to come inside, that he was taking the car to the station. I asked him what my offence was. He said replied that he had asked me to enter the car.
“He said I should drive to the station. I again asked him my offence. I then told him that I didn’t have anything to give to him with respect to money, that even my family had not eaten since that morning. I pleaded with him to allow me to go and work.
“He replied that when we get to the station, I would know my offence. While forcing me to enter my car, the other policeman was slowing down a coaster bus driver.
“The coaster bus driver was coming behind me despite my car was parked with double hazard light. I had hope that the coaster bus will stop for the policeman.
“I was about to open my car door, when the coaster bus driver rammed into my door, smashing my fingers. My fingers were cut off and fell to the ground.
“I started shouting for help, the policeman jumped out of my car and ran after the coaster bus. He told him to come and see what he had done. I saw him discussing with the bus driver
“I don’t know what they discussed, but the policeman allowed the bus driver to go. He and his partner wanted to take off. I picked my finger from the ground and ran after him.
“I told him that he couldn’t leave me like that way, I told him that he was the one that caused the accident. He ran into the premises of the Ketu Divisional Police. I went after him.
“I saw him coming out from a thatch house beside the station, I said I couldn’t leave. A policewoman came out from building and started shouting at me, saying I should go and treat myself, that it was an accident, that I was losing too much blood.
“I was taken to Lagos State Emergency Centre by 7up at the Toll-Gate, where the medical personnel managed to stitch the fingers that I pick from the ground. I was later referred to Ikorodu General Hospital in Ikorodu.
“From the hospital, I went back to the police station, I asked for the DPO, so I was directed to his office, where I narrated the incident to him.
“The DPO sent one of the police officers called Mr David to look for the police officer in question. He went outside, returned to say he couldn’t find the policeman.
“The DPO asked David if he was there when the incident happened, he said no. The DPO gave him N20,000 to hand over to me, that I should go and treat myself. After that, Officer David and I exchanged phone number.
“I left the Police station for Ikorodu General Hospital. When I got there, I was told to see the Orthopedic surgeon and later I was told they were on strike.
“when I went there, I was told they where on strike, So I asked them that they should take me to my own hospital where I used to go for HMO were I used to received treatment for my HMO at St. Raphael my HMO hospital.
“ On reaching there, I was taken care of by redressing the wound that their Orthopedic surgeon did and I was instructed to come to the hospital every Thursday.
“I went home from there with the injury and some drugs given to me by the hospital. on Thursday I went back to the hospital at St Raphael where I was told that I had lost the second index finger, that the best options was to operate it by amputating it out.
“I left that place on Thursday to another hospital at Sango Otta called Faith Specialist Hospital, where someone directed me to a colleague of mine in uber business.
“We got there so I was able to meet the orthopaedic surgeon, he told me also that the finger was dead already. I asked him, what do we do now, he said the only options was to amputate the second index finger, but the first index he promised me he woud fixed it properly.
“ He said it will function again. I said how much will he do the operation, he said N950,000 and after much pleading, he now agree for N750,000. He said I would have to take care of my feeding at the hospital at that price.
“He said that I would have to stay at the hospital after the surgery until my discharge. After the discussion, I left for home. Since I could not afford the money.
“The DPO gave me that initial N20,000 and never asked after my situation after that. A colleague of mine, who is also an Uber driver, told me to go and see one Mrs Sadiat, a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) at FCID, Alagbon, Ikoyi.
“I went with my wife there and Sadiat directed us to one Mr. Bassey Ewa, also a DCP. I was asked to come there at the police command headquarter Ikeja on Monday. When I went there with my colleagues in the business of uber, I told them what they told me at the Hospital as regards to the operation, which the DPO went and came with N600,000 for them to start the operation first because of the decaying of the fingers already.
“That same Monday, I was given N600,000 to proceeded for the operation first. The police told me they are investigating the matter and till now, I did hear anything from them.
“Even when they came to the hospital, the doctor told them that I needed help, that the surgery was a major one.
After the operation, I was in the hospital police sent their investigative team to come and see me. They discussed with the doctor as regards the surgery balance of medical fee, which is about N350,000. They promised to pay it until I was okay.
“After seeing all the lost as regards to the car before I now brought the matter to Human Right, that I needed compensation because my livelihood has been taken away from me. As regards to the car in question, it was a hire purchase car.
“I have pay up to N1,540,000 and the owner of the car has collected the car due to my inability to continue with the work and agreement due to my ill health. After the accident, despite paying half of the total sum of N3,000,000, so right now, my livelihood had been taken away from me completely.
“To eat now is a serious problem; it hard for me and my family to fend for a daily meal now, and already my hand is already paralysed to the point I can’t make proper used of it any more. I am a left-handed fellow.
“ I need assistance, I want justice. Right now, I am always indoors and on drugs. The policeman in question that caused me to have this accident has not came to see me or apologized to me. This is Police brutality and I need justice. This happened to me because I refused to give bribe that early hours of the day.”
Adoyi has approached RULAAC.
The Executive Director of RULAAC, had immediately swung into action by writing to the Lagos State Commissioner. The then serving CP was said to have given clear directives concerning the case.
However, before the directives could be implemented, the CP was posted out of the Command.
In another letter, dated 27th of August 2024, RULAAC writes to the new CP.
The letter is titled: ‘Re: Request For Immediate Investigation And Action Regarding Mr. David Adoyi’s Petition On Maiming And Negligence.’
The letter reads: “We write on behalf of Mr. David Adoyi to follow up on the petition earlier submitted to your office on 14th August 2023 and 19th June 2024, concerning the reckless and negligent actions of officers of the Nigeria Police Force attached to the Ketu Police Station, which led to Mr. Adoyi’s permanent maiming and disability.
“It has come to our attention that despite the clear directives given by your predecessor to the Area Commander at Ogudu, which led to the conclusion of investigations, the file has yet to be acted upon, and no steps have been taken to hold the responsible officers accountable or ensure that Mr. Adoyi is compensated for his loss.
“We wish to attach the earlier letters submitted for your ease of reference and urgently request that this matter be given the attention it requires. Specifically, we request:
“Immediate Confirmation of the receipt of the concluded investigation file from the Ogudu Area Commander. Expeditious Action on the recommendations made therein to ensure justice for Mr. Adoyi. Transparency and Updates on the status of the investigation and any compensation arrangements.
“The delay in addressing this matter, particularly given the clear evidence of gross misconduct and harm caused to Mr. Adoyi, is causing further hardship to him and his family. We trust that under your esteemed leadership, the Lagos State Police Command will treat this matter with the urgency and seriousness it deserves, demonstrating a commitment to justice and accountability.
“We await your swift action and a formal response to our inquiries. Please be informed that we will be compelled to explore other legal remedies should there be further delay in addressing the matter.”
Sady, since the letter to the CP, mum has been the word.
