Lagos neighborhood officer blinds partygoer, agency dismisses suspect

A Lagos Neighborhood Safety Corps officer has been charged with blinding a man, Quham Adelakun, during a party in Bamgbose Street, Lagos Island, State of Lagos.

PUNCH Metro learned that trouble started when Adelakun, who lived across the street, attempted to enter the event venue on Sunday.

However, the guards present at the event, including the LNSC officer, arrested him after he was unable to show his invitation card.

Eyewitness Lateef Shonibare said an argument ensued between Adelakun and the guards, which culminated in a fight.

He said, "Quham (Adelakun) was inside the hall but came out. As he was about to re-enter, two guards stopped him. He was bullied, so he tried to defend himself.

“All of a sudden they started beating him. The best way he could defend himself was to pick up an iron bar. But these officers overpowered him and hit him in the face with their bats about four times, then he fell. When he got up, he tried to defend himself by breaking a bottle. As soon as these officials saw this, they ran away. Quham couldn't see anything at the time. I tried to calm him down and took the bottle from him.

"These officers and their leader said he stabbed himself in the face. Is it possible? The officers and Quham were all drunk."

One ​​of the event organizers, who did not want his name printed, said he invited the LNSC officer to secure the venue because the party was strictly by invitation.< /p>

He said: "When the party was about to end, I started to hear a noise. As I was going out to see what was going on, I saw a guy with blood on his face. I asked what happened, and he said someone hurt him."

He noted that he helped transport the victim to the hospital.

Photos of the victim seen by PUNCH Metro showed him lying in a hospital bed with blood on his face as one of his eyeballs popped out.

The LNSC officer who allegedly attacked Adelakun has been identified as Olawale.

Speaking to PUNCH Metro, the victim, who was still receiving treatment, confirmed the identity of the LNSC agent.

He said the second official who also beat him was in mufti.

Adelakun said that the guards prevented him from entering the room despite his pleas.

He said, "I begged the guard and he said I had to come in, which I did, but he sent me away. I had to ask to find out why. because I had already pleaded before continuing. There was another guard who was putting on the LNSC uniform. I again begged to enter the room, but they asked me if I knew anyone inside.

"I didn't know they were drunk. The LNSC officer got up and hit me with a stick. I had to ask to find out what my offense was because I was surprised at his action. So as I left the place, I didn't know that they were chasing me. As I wanted to run away from them, they tied me up and started beating me."

Adelakun said those present at the scene expressed their displeasure with the way he was beaten by the LNSC officer and guard in mufti.

“As he was trying to escape their grip, the LNSC officer hit me with a stick in the eye; my eyeball ripped out and I couldn't see,” he added.

When asked if he broke a bottle during the incident, he replied, "It's a blatant lie. Two people brutalizing me; what do you expect from me? I ran away from them. I didn't break any bottles. They hit me with a stick. I even wanted to choose something, but I couldn't because I was weak."

The LNSC, in a statement Wednesday, said the officer's deployment did not follow due process.

The statement reads in part: "It is common practice for citizens requiring agency services to communicate their desire in writing to agency headquarters, from where an approval is communicated formally to the command responsible for that deployment.This was not followed up and subject to the above, the agency is deemed to be unaware of the deployment and therefore cannot account for the actions or inactions of the officer in question.

“It is necessary to verify the true facts of the incident in order to deal with the case appropriately. In this regard, an ad hoc commission of inquiry has been established to conduct a thorough investigation and make appropriate recommendations to the agency.

"The incident is unpleasant and the agency expresses its deepest displeasure, while wishing to implore the general public to please remain calm while awaiting the completion of the investigation in order to ensure that justice is served. returned."