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By Akinwande Soji-Ojo
An unidentified policeman has reportedly shot and injured a student of the Adeseun Ogundoyin Polytechnic, Eruwa, Oyo State.
The student, Samuel Akinsuyi, was said to be going to Ibadan from Eruwa last Friday, when the policeman stopped him during a stop and search operation and assaulted him thoroughly before shooting him in the leg.
It was unknown what the policeman accused Akinsuyi, a student of Business Administration Department, of, but the cop was said to have fled the scene immediately after shooting the student.
The South West Coordinator, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Olatunji Adegboye, who confirmed in the incident in a statement on Monday, said the injured student was now battling with paralysis as a result of the shooting.
While lamenting what he described as incessant police brutality, especially against students along Ibadan-Eruwa road, Adegboye accused the police of cover up.
“On a daily basis, harmless and helpless Nigerian citizens continue to fall victim to bloodthirsty police officers who mete out on Nigerians various inhuman treatments ranging from verbal assault, outright assault, unlawful arrest, unjust detention and more often than not, being shot at.
“Those saddled with the responsibility of safeguarding us from danger have turned themselves to the actual danger.
“On Friday, March 11, 2022, the Nigerian students yet again suffered a great injustice from the hands of a reckless policeman.
“Akinsuyi Samuel, a Business Administration student at the Adeseun Ogundoyin Polytechnic in Eruwa, was beaten and then shot on the leg by a yet-to-be-identified stop and search police officer, on his way from Eruwa to Ibadan, on Friday.
“This demonic action has thrown Mr. Samuel Akinsuyi into a titanic battle against paralysis.
“It is rather unfortunate that several days after the criminal incident, the Nigeria Police Force, Oyo State Command, and the Police Service Commission have failed to make convincing action statement over this persistent cankerworm.
“As the custom is, most times when an officer of the law infringes on the fundamental human rights of the citizens, the police force and the service commission usually perfect a cover up and make sure that justice is circumvented.
“Up till now, the assailant remains unidentified. This is a clear sign of the regular conspiracy practices of the police force.
“As we continue to piece the puzzle together, we demand a thorough and exhaustive investigation to identify the culprit and that the law be allowed to take its full course through the arrest, dismissal and prosecution of the offender as well as other disciplinary actions from the force itself and the police commission,” he said.
