SARS officials shoots Nigerian graduate

A graduate of Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, Ekwere Imoh, has alleged that men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Oyo State Police Command, shot him and a female friend, who was simply identified as Doris, at Bodija market area in Ibadan on Saturday night, Owojela’s Blog learnt.

According to the graduate of Business Administration, who said he manages a boutique in Ibadan, a vehicle conveying him and three others was coming from the University of Ibadan end of the city when they suddenly heard a gunshot fired by SARS men in front of the Bodija market.

Police Public Relations Officer of the command, Adekunle Ajisebutu, who confirmed the incident, said that the police shot at the car after the driver refused to stop when asked to do so at a checkpoint. He added that the tyre of the vehicle was targeted but the bullet ricocheted and hit the door of the car.

Imoh said, “We were four in the vehicle. We were approaching Bodija from the UI end. It was between 9.17pm and 9.30 pm. I had called Doris at exactly 9.17pm to join me at UI gate. As we approached the bend in front of the Bodija market just before the railway crossing, we saw the SARS men stationed there. I was at the back of the car with Doris and at the point when we reached the spot where the SARS men were stationed, I was making a call.

“Suddenly, we heard a gunshot. From my understanding, the shooter could be targeting the driver but because the car was in motion, the bullet hit the back door. It pierced through and lodged in my leg. Metal pieces from the hole in the car door hit Doris on the leg too, creating holes. There was blood everywhere. She started shouting and we were all petrified.

“I did not know that there was a big hole and a bullet in my leg until I put on my mobile telephone flash and saw how injured I was. The driver was able to control himself and stop the car a few metres from where we were shot at. The police did not approach us again.

“From that point, what came to our mind was how our lives would be saved. I saw the head of the bullet from the other side of my leg and I could feel the hole in my leg. We rushed to a nearby hospital in Bodija but we were not treated. They requested for a police report before we could be treated. My elder brother came to the hospital and we went to Bodija police station. The policemen said no one from the station mounted a roadblock at the point where we were shot at. They took us to the UCH and we got there around 10 pm. They were with us until around 2 am.”