Family Demands for Justice and Compensation After Caterer Was Allegedly Shot by Police in Ogun State

A father, Segun Oni, is calling for justice and compensation after his daughter, Irewoletomiwa, was allegedly shot by a police officer attached to the Itele Awori Police Station in Ogun State.

Irewoletomiwa, a caterer, was reportedly returning from work on the night of July 23, 2024, around 10 p.m., when her car was stopped by police officers along Lafenwa-Ota Road.

It is alleged that the officers demanded money from her, but she was unable to provide any.

Speaking with Drivetvnews on Saturday, Oni claimed that one of the officers, enraged by the situation, fired a gunshot that went through her car, struck her, and caused serious injuries to her abdomen.

“My daughter, Irewoletomiwa, was driving a Lexus sedan with her younger sister and a family friend when they encountered officers in plain clothes using an unregistered minibus painted in Lagos colors for their operations. After stopping their car and demanding money, which they didn’t have, a drunken Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), who had been transferred from Owode months earlier for similar misconduct, fired at their car. The bullet pierced the trunk, struck my daughter, and exited through her stomach,” he explained.

Irewoletomiwa was initially taken to a private hospital but later transferred to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) in Ikeja for advanced treatment.

Oni said that the former Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alamutu, visited the hospital and provided financial assistance while promising to cover all medical expenses.

“The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the station, CSP Julianna Sodiq, visited her at LASUTH and gave us ₦1 million. CP Alamutu also came and provided another ₦1 million, assuring us that all expenses would be reimbursed. However, after that, there was no follow-up, and I had to discharge my daughter from the hospital on September 3 due to a lack of funds,” Oni said.

He lamented that the police have since abandoned the family despite spending over ₦10 million on his daughter’s treatment. He added that she remains incapacitated and requires treatment abroad.

Oni revealed that his lawyer had sent several letters to the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, but there had been no response.

“My lawyer has written three letters to the IGP, all of which were acknowledged, but we’ve received no feedback. I also submitted receipts of the expenses to the CP’s office. Despite visiting several times, the meetings were repeatedly postponed,” he said.

Attempts to contact the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Omolola Odutola, were unsuccessful, as calls and text messages were not returned. Similarly, the Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, did not respond to inquiries as of the time this report was filed.