'Police parade me as armed robber and threaten to shoot me if I no accept'

Since di 2020 End Sars protests wey happun for almost all di state capitals for di Nigeria, goment still dey find way to compensate victims.

Dem dey also try to reform di police and oda security agencies to make sure say 'police brutality' reduce for di kontri.

On Wednesday 14 September, 2022, di National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, for Abuja di Nigeria capital compensate 74 victims of police brutality.

Some of di victims still dey share dia tori wit BBC Pidgin.

Richard Augustine wey come from Obudu local goment area, Cross River State, na one of dem.

Im be one of di beneficiaries wey share im tori.

E tell BBC Pidgin say im no go fit forget di humiliation, shame and disgrace wey e pass through wen di Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) arrest am for im friend house.

E say no be only arrest, dem parade am in front of journalists, im foto enta newspaper, dem show am for television too as dem parade am as armed robber.

How di mata start

E narate say na for February, 2015 na im di mata start. E wake up for morning enta road to travel like evri oda pesin, but im no know say by di end of di day na for police station im go land.

"On di 13 February 2015, I bin dey travel from Abuja back to Kafachan, Southern Kaduna, North Central Nigeria.

Dat time I be di Youth Secretary of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Kaduna State.

I travel come Abuja for my farming business, as I finish I dey go back to Kaduna sake of say night don come. I pass through Keffi (Nasarawa State) but I no see motor.

E get one of my neighbour for Kafanchan wey also get house for near di Keffi roundabout, so I call am for phone e tell me to come sleep for im house. I dey im house dey sleep wen early mor-mor around 2:00 am dem bang di door open, dem enta wit guns and oda ammunitions." E tok.

At dat point, Augustine say e first confuse as e bin no know wetin dey happun.

"I bin tink say dem be hired killers, one of dem ask anoda of dia team member if my neighbour na Mr Raymond, e ansa 'yes', dem come ask who I be, my neighbour explain to dem say I dey travel I just branch im house to sleep sake of say night don come. Na dat time I realise say dem be police pipo.

I show dem my Identity card say I be CAN secretary, dem no even ansa me, next tin dem handcuff me cari me go Lagos.

Before we start di Lagos journey, dem chain us for one Hotel for Gwagwalada till morning."

Augustine go on to narrate im harrowing experience from dia to Lagos state.

Wen we begin travel to Lagos dem stop for Kogi State Police Command, shoot me for leg, come tell me say make I accept say I be armed robber.

We reach Lagos on February 14 wit chains for our hands and legs, all efforts I make to explain myself no work". E tok

Di 'humiliating' parade

Richard wey also be Information Technology (IT) expert and Media Consultant say afta four days wey im dey inside cell for Lagos na im dem parade am as armed robber.

"Police tell me say make I accept to di press say I be criminal, say if I no do am dem go shoot me.

But thank God say I no accept wetin police tok, I explain as police take arrest me to journalists, Nasarawa State police Command and Police Headquarters see my interview, dem come order Lagos to send us back to Nasarawa State.

We spend 21 days for detention as investigation dey go on, wit all di beating and torture, dem even go Kafanchan to find out more about me, di Nasarawa State Police Command later call my elder broda to apologise, but my broda say make dem treat me." E tok.

Di fight for Justice

Afta e commot from police custody, Richard say time don reach to fight for im right.

"I go court for Nasarawa State dem tell me say e dey out of dia jurisdiction.

Later I come go back to Lagos, e coincide wit di period of End Sars protests. Na dat time too President Buhari say make dem set up panels to hear di grievances of pipo."

Augustine collect compensation from di NHRC afta di panel chook eye inside issues of police brutality and extra-judicial killings. Im case na one of di ones dem look and Nigeria goment compensate am wit Two Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira (2,500,000).

"I happy say dem set up dis panel, I also happy say di mata don come to and end.

Di money no be anytin compared to my character, my family and friends, my personality wey police damage.

Dem call me armed robber, publish me on National dailies, e pain me well-well na im make I cari dem go court. Thank God say justice don finally come." E tok.