I lost my leg after police shot, detained me for 37 days, victim tells #EndSARS panel

A 62-year-old man, Olaoluwa Kusimo, has told the Ogun State judicial panel investigating the excesses of the now defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and other units of the Nigerian Police, how his right leg was amputated after he was shot by a policeman he identified as Moshood.

Kusimo who was testifying during the sitting on Thursday, December 17. said he was accosted by two police officers on February 9, 2012, around the Iporo Ake area of Abeokuta, the state capital.

The victim said while trying to find out from the police what he had done to warrant the harassment, one of the officers, Moshood, shot him in the leg before both officers ran away while he bled profusely.

Kusimo added that he was later arrested by men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad at the entrance of the state general hospital where he was rushed to by neighbours for medical attention, claiming he was an armed robber.

He further alleged that he was detained for 37 days at the SARS office in the Magbon area of Abeokuta, where he was tortured with hot pressing iron.

Read also: 15 #EndSARS protesters storm Lagos panel over Lekki shootings

Kusimo added that the SARS operatives asked him to confess to being an armed robber and for the 37 days he spent in detention, he was denied medical treatment, which caused his health to deteriorate, leading to the amputation of his leg.

Kusimo explained that due to neglect and lack of proper care for the leg, it started producing maggots and smelling pus, which later degenerated to the level of amputation in April 2012.

“The police only released me to go to the hospital for treatment when they could no longer bear the stench coming from my injured leg.

“I had to sell my properties including my uncompleted house for N500,000 to settle my hospital bills.

“My uncompleted building was ready for roofing but I had to sell it at a give away price when my family ran out money to pay my bills,” he said.

The petitioner appealed to the state government for financial assistance as compensation for the money spent on his treatment and to take care of his family.

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