Oluwasegun Oluwarotimi, a former commercial motorcyclist has asked the Ondo State Security Network codenamed Amotekun Corps to pay him N100 million as damages for causing amputation of his leg.
Oluwasegun is demanding N50 million as general damages for the violation of his right to personal dignity and another N50 million as exemplary damages for the violation of his right to personal dignity, for the loss of his leg, for his permanent disability, for his emotional distress and for his perpetual mental agony and torture.
In a suit filed at the Ondo State High Court through his lawyer, Tope Temokun, Oluwasegun is seeking
an order mandating the Amotekun Corps to issue a letter of apology to be delivered personally to him and be published in at least one reputable national daily newspaper circulating within Akure metropolis, for the violation of his fundamental rights and to assuage his mental torture and pain.
He is seeking a declaration that the firing of gun shot at his leg by officers of Amotekun Corps, constituted violation of his fundamental right to dignity of human person, guaranteed and protected under Sections 34 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Oluwasegun is also asking the court to declare that the act of abandoning him after shooting his leg and rendering him immobile and incapacitated, at a non-functioning medical facility of the Federal Medical Centre Owo, resulting to his further dehumanization and traumatization constituted a violation of his fundamental right to dignity of human person, guaranteed and protected under Sections 34 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999(as amended).
Other defendants in the suit are the Ondo State Government, Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, and the Ondo State Security Network Agency.
Before instituting the suit, the Claimant had earlier demanded N2 million as compensation to enable him start a small business that would be suitable for a disabled man.
He said he dropped off a passenger at Araromi area of Akure when Amotekun operatives stormed the area and shot him on the leg despite his plea of innocence.
But Ondo Amotekun Head of Operations and Intelligence, Omolafe Anthony, in a letter, said the demand for N2 million compensation was tantamount to blackmail.
Omolafe explained that Oluwasegun was to be charged to court for aiding the escape of a principal suspect in a case of kidnapping, armed robbery, and car snatching.
He said Oluwarotimi sustained injury while attempting to snatch the rifle of one of his operative.
Omolafe stated that the amputee was released after pleas by his family even as he reminded the lawyer that several other law firms contacted by Oluwasegun had backed out of the case.
Source: The Nation
