Panel summons Dolapo Badmus, ex-Lagos PPRO, over ‘brutalised’ petitioner

 

The Lagos state judicial panel has summoned Dolapo Badmus, former public relations officer for zone two police command to identify a police officer who allegedly brutalised Olajide Fowotade, a petitioner.

The panel which was set up by the Lagos state government to probe police brutality and other related matters, on Saturday, ordered that Badmus, who is a chief superintendent of police (CSP), be served summons through Joseph Eboseremen, police counsel, to identify Sergeant Ayo who allegedly brutalised the petitioner in a traffic dispute along Ketu-Ikosi road while he was returning from his workplace in 2017.

 

In his first appearance, Fowotade, a 60-year-old building contractor, alleged that one Sergeant Ayo from Ketu police station brutalised him on March 11, 2017 during a traffic dispute along Ketu-Ikosi road, which caused him injuries, including the loss of two teeth.

 

The petitioner told the panel that he did not know the surname of the police officer who brutalised him but could only identified him as “Ayo” from Ketu police station.

 

Fowotade said Badmus, the former spokesperson, knows the name of the sergeant and can identify him because he was called by Badmus that the police authorities were interested in the case.

 

The petitioner said Badmus got to know about his alleged maltreatment when two national newspapers published it on March 14, 2017.

 

“I was called from Zone 2 by Dolapo Badmus, the spokesperson. When I got to her office, she asked me what happened and I explained. She said I should go and that they will call me back,” he told the panel.

“Four days later, they called me back, that AIG wants to see me, Kayode Aderanti was the AIG zone 2. The DPO brought the two officers and explained to the AIG. A panel was set up but I did not hear from them for months.”

 

Responding, Emmanuel Eze, police counsel, said the police legal team was unable to reach the accused officer.

 

“The petitioner did not mention the surname of Ayo. We could not trace the name to zone 2 where he claimed to have reported the incident. We could not make headway,” Eze told the panel.

 

“We need to get the case file of Ayo and his contact. We are constrained to ask for an adjournment because we are without the Ayo or the case file.”

 

Doris Okuwobi, chairperson of the panel, said the summons should be served on Badmus and that the police counsel should ensure that the summons get to her.

 

Further hearing on the case was adjourned till January 15, 2021.