Police refused to accept my petition – Shot banker

Femi Badejo, the banker who was allegedly shot by policemen in Ikota area of Lagos State on November 10, 2012 has accused the police of insensitivity and refusing to accept a petition written by his lawyer to the state police command.

Badejo, who was shot along with his security guard while policemen were responding to a distress call about a robbery at his residence, said he was still incurring the costs of medical treatment.

The Access Bank employee said his lawyer had written a petition and sent it via courier to the Maroko Police Division as well as the state command headquarters, Ikeja, but the police had refused to accept it.

In the petition entitled, “Indiscriminate, reckless and life-threatening shots by police officers on Mr. Femi Badejo,” the banker’s lawyer, Tayo Fayemiwo, described the refusal by the police to accept the letter as a plot to deny responsibility.

Fayemiwo added that over three weeks after the incident, the police had yet to issue an apology for shooting the banker five times.

He said, “The immediate reason for this release stems from the blatant refusal by the office of the Commissioner of Police Lagos State as well as the Maroko Police Division to accept the letters sent to them. The office of the Commissioner of Police has blatantly refused to accept the service of the letters on it via courier services.

“Also at the Maroko Police Division, the station refused delivery of our letter claiming not to have been involved in the matter and that the Ajah Division was solely responsible for the incident. This is however contrary to the information we have that both Ajah and Maroko divisions were at the scene of the crime. We sincerely hope the letter sent to the Inspector-General of Police will not be met by the same fate.

“We at this point want to state that the deliberate act of refusing to collect our letter is seen as callous, shrewd and amounts to a plot to deny responsibility. Having caused grievous harm to our client, we least expect that the police will again add to his condition an emotional and psychological strain by denying the liability of their officers’ discreditable conduct, who used their authority to inflict unlawful and unnecessary violence on the person and psych of our client.

Badejo also demanded that the police foot the medical bill and pay compensation for the injuries and trauma sustained by Badejo.

He said although four of the bullets had been extracted from Badejo’s body, one was still lodged in his wrist because of medical complications.

 He said even though Badejo had been discharged from hospital, he had continued to pay as an outpatient, having to go for treatments and dressing of his wounds every day.

However, the spokesperson for the state police command, Ngozi Braide, said it was unlikely that the CP’s office rejected the letter but urged Badejo to bring the letter to her office.

“The police do not reject petitions even the ones written against them. However, the banker should bring the letter to my office and the matter will be taken care of,” she said.

Punch Nigeria