One Mrs Mfon Uweh of Urue Offong/Oruko Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, on Wednesday narrated before Justice Ifiok Ukana-led Judiciary Panel of Investigation on Incidences of police brutality in the State and how police officers broke into her house, shot her in the leg and fled.
Uweh who said she is a mother of four, however, demanded for the sum of N20 Million as compensation for the troubles she had passed through since the incident in 2010 and to be able to get proper medical treatment.
In a memo, JPPB/MEMO/061 presented to the panel by the counsel to the petitioner, Ewa Okpo Edmund, Mrs Uweh narrated, “As I was lying down in my room when I came back from the market, some armed policemen broke in, I was shocked because I never had issues with anybody. Immediately, I heard another policeman within the premises shouting, “including that room, including that room.”
In the midst of that confusion, according to the victim, she tried to stand up from her bed to inquire what was going on, unfortunately, the policeman that was inside her room shot her in the leg and zoomed off.
She added that her relatives and other neighbours who initially fled for safety returned to the scene where they heard the gunshot and took her immediately to the general hospital, Iquita in Oron Local government, and she was rejected by the hospital management, then they took her to a local bone attendant for treatment and removal of the said bullets.
She told the panel that her parents reported the incident to the then village head, late Chief Deyang who confirmed that he actually invited the police officers to the community to raid and arrest the youths terrorizing the village.
Uweh who said all the efforts of her parents to register the case at the local government police station met a brick wall said she had spent millions of Naira while treating herself, yet she barely walks.
Also, the petitioner’s council, Ewa Edmund in his prayers, requested the panel to ensure a State sponsored treatment for the victim, scholarship for her children willing to pursue their academics or any chosen vocation and a cash compensation of Twenty Million for the loss the victim and her family had suffered.
However, Chairman of the panel, Justice Ukana, in response adjourned the case for consideration in camera.
