Metro

Federal Commission Guards Brutalise Blind Jobseekers, Several Hospitalised

Published

2 years ago

June 21, 2022

Members of the Association of Technology Inclined Visually Impaired Persons of Nigeria have accused security guards attached to the Federal Civil Service Commission, Abuja, of brutalising them during a peaceful protest.

Pictures and videos obtained by PUNCH Metro showed the moment the protesters were dragged by the guards and beaten.

The PUNCH gathered that members of the group held the demonstration to persuade the commission to heed their request for employment.

The President of the association, Tolulope Aluko, said they had been seeking employment from the commission since 2020.

He said the group also approached the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, which wrote a letter to the Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission on their behalf.

He said, “We visited the commission in July last year and we were told to come back. We came back again on April 11, but they didn’t answer us.

“When we came today (Tuesday), they said we should come back, but we refused to leave. We started protesting peacefully. The press came, but immediately they left, the security guards started beating us and destroyed our things.”

Aluko noted that among their members seeking employment were first degrees, masters, and PhD holders.

A victim, Akinyemi Akinola, told PUNCH Metro that they only wanted the government to help them due to their condition.

“We can’t drive commercial vehicles. What we can do is to get educated and see how we can contribute to the country. That’s what we came here to do only for them to wreak havoc on us. Some of us have been hospitalised. Our phones were smashed and taken away so we couldn’t record,” he added.

He said the security men shot three times into the air to scare them before picking the shells to erase any evidence.

“The operatives said they acted on the instruction given by the permanent secretary of the commission and the chairman. There was reinforcement, but when they saw that we were unarmed, they withdrew,” he added.

A university graduate, Daniel Showumi, who claimed to have also been brutalised, said they were hoping the commission would respond to them before the guards came.

He said, “We thought if they saw us with our condition, they would help us. Some who started this journey with us in 2020 have died because of hunger. So, we decided to come there today (Tuesday).

“The security came to drag me from where I stood and started hitting me against the floor until blood was coming from my head. I escaped and he followed me. They destroyed all our things, including the food we brought.”

In a press release on April 13, the commission had pledged five per cent of the jobs in the civil service to people living with disabilities.

Contacted for a reaction, the commission’s Deputy Director, Press & Public Relations, Alaba Balogun, said he did not have the authority to speak on the matter.

He said, “It is only the authorities that can speak on this matter.”

During a second call, Balogun said the person authorised to speak on the matter had travelled.

A lawyer, Festus Ogun, said the attack on the protesters was a gross violation of their rights.

Ogun said, “It is unthinkable and wicked for security operatives to unleash terror on visually impaired citizens who were exercising their fundamental rights. We should give special treatment to these people as stated in the Discrimination against Persons with Disability (Prohibition) Act, 2018. I urge the President to bring those officers to book and the protesters should seek redress in court.”

PUNCH

Metro

VIDEO: Woman, Baby Involved In Lagos Car Accident

Published

2 mins ago

May 5, 2024

Editor

A woman, her toddler and a motorcyclist popularly known as Okada rider were reportedly involved in a car accident on the Festac Link Bridge in the Ammuo Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State on Saturday night.

It was gathered that the incident occurred on Saturday night around 11:00pm.

Joshua Davids, who witnessed the accident, said, “What really happened at Amuwo Link Bridge, tonight’s accident, is that the car, the driver hit a woman and a baby on her back. So actually, they have rushed the woman and the baby to the hospital.

“The driver is safe because there is an airbag. There is protection for him in the car. So he is safe now and he has already rushed the woman and her baby to the hospital.

When asked about the Okada rider, he said, “They have also rushed him to the hospital. The three of them are unconscious. I was walking down from the back, from the backside. I was also coming from Festac, so I saw everything that happened. He also almost hit me.”

David, who showed his injury in a video, added, “I have to save myself. I have to. If not, what would I be saying by now? I thank God for my life. Thank God. Thank you very much.”

Another witness who spoke anonymously to our reporter said, “I was on my way home, I had a loud sound coming from the top of the bridge. I rushed down and saw a woman with her toddler on the ground. The bike rider seemed unconscious.

Narrating what might have happened that led to the crash, he said, “The vehicle had double-crossed his lane and jumped into the other lane coming towards Festac and had hit the Okada rider, and the Okada rider was carrying a woman and her toddler.

“She had injuries on her legs I asked her where she felt pain, and she said her head mostly. The driver who drove the car was okay and rushed the victims to the hospital.”

The police had yet to reach the venue of the incident as of the time of filing this report.

𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐈𝐍: 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧, 𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐋𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐫 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭
A woman, her toddler and a motorcyclist popularly known as Okada rider were reportedly involved in a car accident on the Festac Link Bridge in the Ammuo Odofin Local Government Area of… pic.twitter.com/3uBNaLhrBf
— Punch Newspapers (@MobilePunch) May 4, 2024

Details later…

Metro

Delta Lady Dies After Friends Allegedly Pushed Her Into Pot Of Boiling Pepper [Photos]

Published

1 day ago

May 3, 2024

Editor

A Nigerian lady identified as Roseline has died due to severe burns after she was pushed into a big pot of boiling grounded fresh pepper and tomatoes by her friends in Delta State.

Activist, Comrade Israel Joe, who confirmed the incident in a Facebook post on Friday, May 3, 2024, said Roseline died last Friday after two weeks of fighting for her life in a hospital in Warri.

According to Joe, before Roseline passed away, she revealed that her friends were ‘beefing’ her but she still travelled with them for a catering job in Sapele where the incident happened.

The activist is demanding justice for the deceased, vowing to bring the perpetrators to book.

He wrote: “RIP, dear Rozzy. She was pushed into a big boiling pot of grinded fresh pepper and tomatoes by her friend on Saturday, 13th April. She battled for about two weeks with her roasted/boiled body and finally died last week Friday 26th April,” he wrote.

“Rozzy was buried four days ago, but we can’t just allow things to slide as though nothing happened. What an evíI friendship like those I once had.

“Nobody in the neighbourhood in Otokutu knew Roseline had been allegedly kíIIed by these same friends she was living with. She was buried with no one to bid her goodbye and with no single bųríaI poster to honour her. Just two days in the morgue, the mortuary attendants demanded she be carried away to bury.

“According to Rozzy, her friends were beefing her, but she still decided to travel with them for a catering job in Sapele where they were speaking their local language with this Yoruba girl, Rozzy, not understanding their conversation.

“All of a sudden, she landed in a very big pot of boiling fresh pepper and tomatoes where they even still delayed in rescuing her. She was later rushed to Sage Hospital, by Estate in Warri, where they managed the situation, but my friend couldn’t make it.

“What pains me is that these two girls are still walking and gallivanting everywhere like nothing happened. I hate intimidation and oppression, especially against persons who are non-indigenes.

“No report to the police, no investigations, no arrest, nothing. The law is superior, a citizen is a citizen and possesses the full right of citizenship. Keep your “indigeneship” in your pocket, the police must smoke them out so they can face the law. Na God dey help who nor get helper.

“We shall fight for Rozzy, you can not just be kílled like a chicken and buried like an aŋímąl. Nobody deserves such a hørribIe dęąth. We never got to meet Rose, only chatting on Facebook due to endless busy schedules only to see you, at the most disgusting sight at Sage Hospital, hoping for your recovery, but dęąțĥ stole you. Justice shall prevail, including if you would be exhumed.
#Justice4Rosy Rest on Dearest.”

Metro

JUST IN: Terrorists Kill Vigilantes, Abduct Two Village Heads, Others In Kaduna

Published

2 days ago

May 3, 2024

Editor

Some terrorists have reportedly killed eight vigilante members and two other persons in Kakangi and Unguwan Matinja communities in the Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

The village heads of Kakangi and Kisaya villages under Kakangi Ward were also abducted.

A resident of the LG identified as Idris Khalid, who confirmed the incident to our correspondent, said the gun-wielding men invaded the villages at about early Thursday.

The eight vigilante members who were killed in Kakangi were Bala Kamba, Abdurrahman Musa (Ubale), Kabiru Dan Dugui, Hambali Abu, Aliyu Abu, Nura Jika (Maleka), Mubarak Musa (Dan Wamba) and Ikra Hantsi.

Khalid added that the two victims in the Ungwan Matinja community under Gayam Ward were identified as Christopher Abubakar and Isah Gambo.

He said the vigilantes were attacked while trailing the kidnapped victims who were abducted on their way to a burial between Kakangi and Sabon Layi.

“The vigilantes engaged the terrorists, killing scores of them but could not rescue the two traditional rulers and others.

“Normally, anytime there is a kidnap incident, the vigilantes always trail the terrorists to rescue the victims.

“It’s unfortunate that in the process, eight gallant officers of the vigilantes who have been sacrificing in ensuring the safety of our people were lost,” the resident said.

When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the State Police Command, ASP Mansir Hassan, said, “We are investigating the matter to unravel the true story because the area where the incident happened had a network problem.”