A man, Mr. Daniel Owie, who was allegedly brutalised and shot in the leg by some soldiers in Benin, is crying over the inhumane treatment he is receiving from the Nigerian Army.
In a petition to the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, the victim appealed to him to investigate the alleged murder attempt on his life and the breach of his fundamental human rights by a group of soldiers led by a yet to be identified captain in Benin.
In the petition forwarded by his counsel, Mr. Benjamin Iluobe, Owie called on the IGP to direct the Edo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Chris Ezike, to thoroughly investigate the abuse of power by the Army Captain and his soldiers.
Mr. Owie is currently chained to the bed allegedly on the orders of the Army Captain is receiving treatment at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) with 2 soldiers watching over him.
Owie said on October 3, about 8.pm, he saw a vehicle that blocked Ihama Road and he went to the car to see if he could assist the owners to push the vehicle off the road.
He said that the occupants of the vehicle ordered him to go back to his car, and because he didn't like the eway they talked to him, it led to an exchange of words. The men got out of the vehicle and thoroughly beat him up and branded him an armed robber.
“Our client told us further that he was surprised that one of them introduced himself as a captain in the Nigerian Army and he further identified himself by brandishing his service pistol.
“After the beating, the said the captain called his military boys, who came in a Hilux Pick-up van and, without questions and after he identified him to them, started to beat him again with fists and gun butt.
“He further said he was shot on his leg on the instruction of the said captain. He also said that there were bruises all over his body, inflicted by the military men called by the captain.”
Owie alleged in the petition that after they shot him, they took him to the hospital in their military base along the Airport Road, Benin, but the medical doctors on duty told them they would not admit him because the Military men were not consistent in their statement as to how he was shot.
So they took him to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital where he was admitted.
He also alleged that his KIA SUV, two handsets, wristwatch and glasses were taken away from him by the said captain and his boys.
“As if as an afterthought, at about 10am on Sunday, October 4, 2015, the said captain led other military officers to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital to handcuff him to the bed and detailed two military men to watch over him. They alleged that he was shot because he wanted to snatch their car from them,” the petition said.
The spokesman of the 4 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Benin, Capt. Joseph Unuakhalu, said Owie was a member of a robbery gang, who robbed an army officer along Ihama Road on the fateful day and was arrested by personnel of the Nigerian Air Force.
The Army statement read:
“At about 10:30pm on 3 October 2015, Troops of 4 Brigade Garrison responding to a distress call, rescued an army officer, who was attacked by suspected armed robbers at Ihama Junction, along Airport Road, Benin city.
“During the attack, the officers index finger was cut off by the suspected robbers.
“Earlier, the gang robbed two policemen from Lagos Command, who came for their colleague’s wedding. Prior to the troops’ arrival, personnel of the Nigerian Air Force close to the scene responded and arrested one of the suspected robbers, Mr. Daniel Owie, while others ran away abandoning a Kia Sportage Jeep with Reg No EDO BEN 190 BR.
“He was handed over to our troops on arrival. However, the suspect attempted to escape and was shot in his left leg. Suspect is currently receiving treatment at UBTH while investigations are ongoing.”
Owie is still receiving treatment at the hospital.
The Sun
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