#EndSARS: Mother of 11-year-old boy hit by stray bullet in his genital demands N50m compensation
By Eunice Odigie, Benin City
A 61-year-old mother, Stella Omoigui, on Monday, asked for financial compensation of N50 million from the Edo State Judicial Panel of Inquiry for victims of SARS and related abuses for her 11year- old-son, master Osasu Omoigui, hits by a stray bullet on his genital during #EndSARS protest.
Mrs. Omoigui, a petty trader told the panelists that the incident happened along Old road, Sapele road, Benin City, when he asked the said Osasu, a primary three pupil of Maria Christian Academy to go and give his father ripe plantain.
Omoigui said as he was on his way, he was hit by stray bullets from the police officers who were dispersing the #EndSARS protesters.
She said her son was later treated and discharged from the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, UBTH
She said ever since the incident, she has been spending her little resources on him.
She said the little Osasu can only pass out urine through a fixed pipe on his abdomen and a situation that has forced him to always be on wrappers instead of trousers.
She said the condition has also forced him from going to school.
She however pleaded with the panel to grant her son the sum of N50 million as compensation for the pains being suffered by him and also take care of his medical bills and that the panel should do all in its power to see that he could have his life back.
On the part of little Osasu, he said he would like to be a medical doctor when he grows up.
“I want to be a medical doctor by the time I grow up and finished my education, please, the government and every spirited individual should help me,” he said.
Being touched by the condition of the 11-year- old Osasu, chairman, Judicial Panel of Inquiry, Justice Ada Ehigiamusoe (rtd) said the child’s condition must be treated with prompt attention.
“I have a medical doctor in my team, looking at the young man, is about 11 years old, he is unable to dress properly like normal human being, we found him to be wrapped in wrappers and the medical doctor in my team, examined him and found that he is badly damaged in his genital region and we have reviewed that this calls for an emergency intervention.
“We will do the necessary things that will be required of us just like the state government has always done, matters of this nature be treated promptly. If you recall, we have similar matters of about two of them, deaf and dumb, more than that and promptly, the state government intervened.
“They did not even wait for us to make our final recommendations. So, I’m sure with this, look at the condition of the boy, so pathetic, and it is not the police, it is a stray bullet.
“It is one of those things, the consequences of that protest, we cannot really lay our hands on anybody but we will try our best to make the adequate recommendations.
“So, we have reviewed instantly, and we have reviewed, that all of us, we have the combined view that it is meritorious, deserving compensation, he needs urgent medical attention. So, that is our stance,” she said.
Justice Ehigiamusoe also led panel members to raise money for him and which was immediately given to him.
