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| Adewale Olupitan-Hazzan. Credit: Punch |
Soldiers attached to the Flag House, Force Road, Lagos, have
been accused of killing a 61-year-old man, Adewale Olupitan-Hazzan.
It was learnt that the soldiers who were driving in a
military convoy on Ikorodu Road on July 15 went on the rampage and brutalised
Adewale, a road user, for allegedly breaking the side mirror of one of the
vehicles in their convoy.
It was gathered that Adewale was bundled out of his Toyota
Camry and thoroughly beaten by the soldiers at the Obanikoro end of Ikorodu
Road.
Adewale’s younger brother, Adedotun, said his brother even
up till the time of his death, insisted that he did not do anything wrong to
warrant such brutality.
He said, “He said when he heard the sound of the siren, he
slowed down and adjusted to pave the way for them but was taken aback when the
last car in the convoy, a Peugeot 407, marked NA 01AO, parked beside him.
“He said before he knew it, the soldiers bundled him out of
his car beat him up and hit him repeatedly with the butts of their guns.”
Adedotun said a military officer identified simply as Capt.
Peter, who was just passing tried to intervene but not secure his release, as the soldiers insisted that he must follow them to their base to
see one of their superiors. They also took his car with them.
Peter followed them to the Flag Staff House and
eventually secured his release on the condition that he replaced the side
mirror. He
replaced the mirror and later got his car released on July 16.
He later complained of nagging headache and later had a swollen head. He received
treatment at the Federal Medical Centre, Ebute Meta, and was moved to the
Lagos State University Teaching Hospital and later referred to the Lagos
University Teaching Hospital.
“A brain surgery was carried out on him on July 29 after
X-ray examinations revealed that he had a head trauma. He died some few hours
after the operation.”
A death certificate issued by LUTH dated July 29, indicated
Adewale suffered from subdural hematoma following a head trauma.
A doctor, who craved anonymity, said the death certificate
showed that there was “bleeding into the space between the dura (covering of
the brain) and the brain itself.”
Adewale’s wife, Adedoyinsola, who spoke with our
correspondent, said the soldiers had taken away her joy.
She said, “My husband’s death is a big blow. He toiled day and night and now that he should be eating the fruits of his long years of labour, the soldiers took away his life for no just cause.
“This is an irreparable loss. The Nigerian Army authorities
must not cover up the perpetrators of this wicked act. They should be fished
out and they should allow justice to prevail.”
However, the deceased’s driver, Aduragbemi Soneye, said he
could identify the soldier who led the attack.
He said, “My boss, myself and two of the soldiers that led
the onslaught against him (Adewale) went to replace the mirror of the vehicle
on July 16. My boss pointed the ring leader to me. I can identify him and one
other if they are brought before me.”
In a petition written by Adedotun on behalf of the family
and addressed to the Special Investigation Bureau of the Nigerian Army, Arakan
Barracks, Apapa, Lagos, the family demanded that the army authorities should
investigate the incident.
The petition dated August 2 and titled, ‘Death of Adewale
Olupitan-Hazzan’ reads in part, “From the result of the X-ray examinations and
death certificate as well as the chain of events, it is obvious that the
deceased who had no history of a terminal ailment died from the beating of the
soldiers.
“In this circumstance, we, the family members of the
deceased, are crying out for justice. We demand that the matter be thoroughly
investigated and the perpetrators brought to book.”
When contacted on the phone, the spokesperson for the 81
Division of the Nigerian Army, Lt. Col. Kayode Ogunsanya, said he was not aware
of the incident.
-The Punch
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