A 61-year-old woman, Mrs. Stella Omoigui, has demanded N50million compensation for her 11-year-old son, Master Osasu Omoigui, who was allegedly hit by a stray bullet in his genitals during #EndSARS protest.
Mrs. Omoigui, a petty trader in Benin, told the Edo State Judicial Panel of Inquiry for victims of SARS and related abuses that her 11-year-son was hit by a stray bullet from a police gun while they were dispersing the #EndSARS protesters.
Osasu was said to be running an errand for his mother when he was hit by the bullet.
According to Vanguard, she added that the incident happened along Old Road, Sapele Road, Benin City, when he asked the said Osasu, a primary three pupil of Maria Christian Academy to go and give his father ripe plantain.
She said her son was later treated and discharged from the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, UBTH.
She said ever since the incident, she has been spending her little resources on him. She said the little Osasu can only pass out urine through a fixed pipe attached to his abdomen, a situation that has forced him to always have a cloth wrapped around him instead of wearing trousers.
She said the condition has also prevented him from going to school. She however pleaded with the panel to grant her son the sum of N50 million as compensation for the pains being suffered by him and also take care of his medical bills.
She also urged the panel to do all in its power to ensure that her son has his life back.
Osasu said he would like to be a medical doctor when he grows up. “I want to be a medical doctor by the time I grow up and finish my education, please, the government and every spirited individual should help me,” he said.
Being touched by the condition of the 11-year-old Osasu, Chairman, Judicial Panel of Inquiry, Justice Ada Ehigiamusoe (rtd), said the child’s condition must be treated with prompt attention. “I have a medical doctor in my team, looking at the young man, he is about 11 years old. He is unable to dress properly like a normal human being, we found him to be wrapped in wrappers and the medical doctor in my team examined him and found that he is badly damaged in his genitals region and we have reviewed this calls for an emergency intervention.
“We will do the necessary things that will be required of us just like the state government has always done. Matters of this nature (should) be treated promptly. If you recall, we have similar matters of about two of them, deaf and dumb, more than that and promptly, the state government intervened.
“They did not even wait for us to make our final recommendations. So, I’m sure with this, look at the condition of the boy, so pathetic, and it is not the police, it is a stray bullet.
“It is one of those things, the consequences of that protest. We can’t really lay our hands on anybody but we will try our best to make adequate recommendations.
“So, we have reviewed instantly, and we have reviewed that all of us, we have the combined view that it is meritorious, deserving compensation, he needs urgent medical attention. So, that is our stance,” she said.
The members of the Justice Ehigiamusoe-led panel raised some money for Osasu, which was immediately given to him.
Source: Saharareporters
