ADELEKE ADESANYA
AS protests continue against the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, a 95-year-old man, Eni Idum, and his 80-year-old wife, Alice Eni Idum, have joined the protest to demand justice over the death of their first son, Francis Eni Idum, who was allegedly killed by a SARS officer in Ilupeju, Lagos.
Francis, a 39-year-old hunchback, was allegedly killed in the early hours of July 15, 2019, by an officer of SARS in Lagos, identified as Akeem Mohammed, fondly called Scoda.
Eyewitnesses had said Scoda shot Francis in the head while attempting to shoot at some hoodlums that police teams were chasing in Ajisegiri Street, Ilupeju.
The incident, which was widely reported, led to calls for justice by friends and family.
Now that the youths of the country are calling for an end to SARS killings and police brutality, the 95-year-old man, who is suffering from stroke, is calling on government for justice over his son’s death.
The 95-year-old man, who spoke with our correspondent, said, “Despite Francis’ condition and the cleaning job he was doing in Lagos, he was sending us money to feed monthly before he was killed. As you can see my condition, I have been suffering from stroke two years before he was killed and he was sending me money to eat as I am just waiting for death.
“But sadly, SARS killed and sent him to the grave ahead of me. Francis with his condition was the one that took his siblings to Lagos to cater for them since we have no power, but these people threw our family in sorrow. Sorrow will not also depart from them.”
Francis’ mother, who spoke amid tears, said, “Francis didn’t see his condition as a challenge. He was taking good care of me and my sick husband. We were proud of him despite his situation until SARS killed him and threw us in sorrow.”
The old parents, however, called on the Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to help them get justice.
Sunday Idun, the younger brother of the deceased, said government and the police authorities deliberately neglected the family despite efforts to get justice.
He said, “Government, police, and others deliberately neglected us because we are poor. After SARS officer, Scoda, killed my brother, they took his corpse away and kept it away from us with the hope that they will throw it away in order to bury the case. It took series of efforts to locate his corpse among the corpses prepared for mass burial.
“After this, some of their officers at Panti, Yaba, started extorting us, saying they would investigate the case. After three months of being on the case, we had to resolve to get the corpse for burial in our village. And since then, nobody from the state government or the Police has said a word about my brother’s death. But I know if he was a son of a politician they would have given the case attention.”
Recall that Lagos State Government has said it will compensate the family of citizens who lost their lives in the hands of SARS men.
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