The mother of Isiaka Jimoh, a 23-year-old student who was shot dead by police officers during the EndSARS protest in Ogbomosho, and other individuals who were hit by police bullets have narrated their ordeal since the unfortunate incident occurred.
OYOINSIGHT.COM recalls that Isiaka was shot dead by trigger happy cops during the EndSARS protest in Ogbomosho on Saturday after a fight broke out between police officers and protesters.
Speaking with PUNCH, Isiaqa’s mum, Mrs . Ramota Jimoh described her son as a hardworking and jovial man.
Narrating her last conversation with him and how she heard of the occurrence, she said: “It was not long after he left my place that I called him on the phone and asked where he was. He told me that he went to work and he had left and was about to meet someone whom he wanted to work for. I asked him to go ahead. That was our last conversation.
“After that conversation, I had the urge to call him again and I discovered that I couldn’t get through to him again. I was not apprehensive at that time but his dad called me and asked me to rush to Bowen Teaching Hospital. I asked him why and he told me that my son had been shot.”
Speaking further, she revealed that he promised her a lot in life before his untimely death.
“He promised me many things but death has affected all that. God said it was his time and that was why he took him away. It’s painful but there is nothing anybody can do about it. He used to assure me that all would be well. He would hug me, peck me and show me that he loved me. Isiaka would always come around me just to make sure that I was happy. He promised me so many things but police killed him. May God grant him eternal rest. God gave me and he has called him back. I accept it that way because God owns me, the mother of Isiaka, and I cannot question him. I accept that as my destiny. I pray that God will stop such bad occurrences in our family. This is enough. I accept my fate,” she said.
Two Other Victims Narrate Ordeal
While the number of people who were killed, shot, or injured by police officers during the Ogbomosho protest remains unnamed, two other individuals who were shot have narrated their ordeal.
One of those shot, Waheed Oyewumi stated that he was not even at the protest .
“My friends and I went to see what was happening but we were not close to the scene of the crisis. We were somewhere close so that we could see what was happening but we were not at the scene. As we were there playing with my friends, I heard a gunshot and I realised the bullet hit my hand,” he said.
He also stated that his mum, a widow has been in charge of his hospital bills since the incident occurred.
“My mother is a widow and she told me that my father died while I was one month old. Since that time, she has been the only one taking care of us. She has been borrowing money to pay the bills. I just heard her asking my sister to go and sell all the goats she is raising to settle some bills and to buy the new drugs I was asked to buy.
“I want to appeal to our governor (Seyi Makinde) and other people to help us. Those of us here have not seen the governor. I am not sure he is aware that some of us are here,” he added.
Another victim, Gbadebo Sofiq, a 22-year old fashion designer revealed that even though he was not at the protest he went out when he heard one Lekan, a younger brother to his friend had been shot, only for him to be shot too .
“I was shot last Sunday. I heard that a young boy (Lekan) was shot by the police and there was nobody to rescue him. I went to the scene to rescue him.
” I just went there to help him. I knew if I carried him away from the scene, I might help save his life. I did not go there with a bike. I am not an okada rider,”he said.
He also lamented that his mummy has been paying his bills without any support from the government.
“My mummy is the one paying and she has been borrowing from friends and relatives to pay.
“She is a hawker. I want government to help me. I know my mummy is struggling and my fashion business is also not thriving yet. The coronavirus pandemic has also not helped matters. There is no help anywhere. We have been working just to stay alive but with this now, her business has been badly affected and I just pray to be able to walk well and use my right leg where the bulletin hit me.”
