EndSARS Panel: Grieving Mother Accuses Police Of ‘Chasing’ Son To Death, Seeks N5bn Compensation

A grieving mother, Mrs Titilayo Ajibola, whose son, Idris Ajibola, was allegedly chased to death by Osun State Joint Task Force on September 15, 2020, appeared before the Panel of Inquiry Investigating Police Brutality and extrajudicial Killings on Saturday.

The woman who accused the police of causing the untimely death of her son demanded N5bn as compensation.

The distraught mother broke down in tears while giving her testimony, while praying the panel to ensure that justice was served in the case.

She said, “I have been living in sadness since my son was killed by JTF. I want the panel to help me get justice by prosecuting the officers. I suffered a great deal when I wanted to give birth to him, I raised him in pains and the period that he started taking care of me, he was killed. I demand N5 billion as compensation for what was done by the JTF”.

Earlier, a student of Osun State University, Adedayo Oyeleke, who was one of the occupants in the car with the deceased on the fateful day said the JTF accosted and threatened to shoot them dead after accusing them of being Internet fraudsters.

He said, “On 15 September 202, I was with Idris and other friends at home cooking beans. Around 2pm on that day. We went to Osun Mall to buy bread. We drove in a car. After we bought the bread, on our way home, a red patrol van of JTF waved us to stop, which we did. They parked side by side with our car alleging we were internet fraudster.

“We rejected the allegation and one of the officers threatened to shoot us. He said if he killed one of us, we will all agree to the allegations. He cocked the gun, we were all scared then our driver, Abdulsalam Adekunle turned on the car engine and sped off. The JTF gave us a hot chase and we had a fatal accident at East-By-Pass dual carriageway at Ebuoluwa area. When they saw what they caused they did not wait, they sped away from the scene. Something pierced the stomach of Idris Ajibola and all his intestines were out. Idris died on the spot.”

The counsel for the petitioner, Mr Kanmi Ajibola, tendered photographs of the scene of the accident and the deceased, Idris, to the panel and it was admitted.

He prayed the panel to record it that the petition was brought on behalf of the family and add the compensation of N5 billion to it.

The Chairman of the panel, Justice Akinwale Oladimeji, in his ruling said they had a similar petition from one of the occupants in the vehicle that sustained a head injury. He adjourned the case to 29th of January 2021 for further hearing.