Uber driver assaulted during #EndSARS Anniversary demands N500m as compensation
An Uber driver, Adedotun Clement, has demanded N500million as compensation for the gross violation of his fundamental rights to dignity of his human person, personal liberty, property, deprivation of source of livelihood and the destruction of his vehicle during the recently held #EndSARS Anniversary in Lagos.
Adedotun’s lawyer, Inibehe Effiong made this known through a statement issued to newsmen on Saturday in Lagos.
Inibehe also demanded a written apology from the state government.
The Principal Counsel explained that Adedotun was assaulted by some officers of the Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Corps (LNSC) and Nigeria Police Force during the first anniversary of the #EndSARS protest at Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos.
He, therefore, urged the government to respond to his demands within 48 hours before commencing legal proceedings to seek redress.
“We have written to the Lagos State Government through the Attorney General of Lagos State to demand payment of the sum of N500,000,000 (Five Hundred Million Naira) as compensation to Mr Adedotun Clement for the gross violation of his fundamental rights to dignity of the human person, personal liberty and property and for the deprivation of his source of livelihood and the destruction of his vehicle.
“Adedotun Clement is the innocent Uber driver that was assaulted by some officers of the Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Corps (LNSC) and Nigeria Police Force during the first anniversary of the #EndSARS protest at Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos.
“Also, we are equally demanding a written apology from the state government. It should be noted that the vehicle of Mr Adedotun has been returned but in a bad condition.
“The agents of the state government broke and damaged the front windscreen of his Toyota Corolla. The vehicle was in good condition before it was towed away on Wednesday, 20th October, 2021. But upon reaching where the vehicle was taken to on Friday, 22nd October, 2021, Adedotun saw the destruction done to his vehicle by agents of the state government.
“The implication is that he cannot use the vehicle to earn a living until it is repaired. Finally, we are expecting the Lagos State Government to respond to our modest demands within 48 hours or we will have no other option but to commence legal proceedings to seek redress for Adedotun,” he stated.
The state government, in its reaction, said the affected Uber driver, Adedotun, has the right to say he would go to court for the maltreatment meted to him by the combined of the Nigeria Police and Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Corps (LNSC), noting that nobody can take that away from him.
The State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, said this while speaking on the telephone with our correspondent, affirming that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu also does not support anybody being maltreated.
“He (Adedotun) said he would go to court, it is right to say that, nobody can take that away from him. But you know Mr Governor does not support anybody being maltreated,” the commissioner said.
He, however, commended the Commissioner of Police, Mr Hakeem Odumosu, who he said had since apologized to everyone that was maltreated during the occasion of the first anniversary of #EndSARS in the state as directed, saying Adedotun’s seized car had also been released.
“I thank the Commissioner of Police; he has apologized to everybody, who was maltreated on that occasion. So if anybody wants to do anything after that, well the person is free to do that,” Omotoso said.
“His car that was taken away from him has been ordered to be released. I know that the car has been asked to be released,” he added.
Courtesy (excluding headline) Nigerian Tribune
