Picture of the police brutality in Ughelli as tweeted by Keyamo

The hastag, #EndSARS, has been trending on the social media in the past 24 hours as Nigerians, especially youths, recall the various atrocities they have suffered in the hands of the officers of the notorious Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS of the Nigeria Police Force.

One of the latest incidents that led to the revival of the rage against the SARS officers was an incident in Ughelli, Delta State involving a young man on Saturday.

In the incident which led to protests on Sunday, some social media users alleged that officers of SARS stopped a young man, pushed him out of his vehicle, shoot him and went away with the vehicle.

Some others said the young man died after he was pushed out of the vehicle.

But through his tweeter handle on Sunday, Festus Keyamo, the Minister of State for Labour and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria who claimed that he was raised in Ughelli clarified what really happened

Keyamo said he got the facts after speaking with the Commissioner of Police, Delta State & the Area Commander in Ughelli as well as one Ochuko, who he described as the victim’s brother.

According to the Minister, contrary to the claims in the social media, the victim of the police brutality is alive and receiving treatment. He backed his claim up with the picture of the alleged victim in the hospital where he is receiving treatment.

Keyamo also said the police outfit involved in this case is called Operation Delta Safe and not SARS and that the brother of the victim confirmed that he was not shot, but fell out of the Police vehicle when being taken to the station after arrest.

He added that while the brother of the victim claimed that police pushed him out of their vehicle, the Police said he jumped.  Keyam. added the Police had to abandon the victim after he fell because of an angry mob that had already gathered.

He added that a good Samaritan picked the victim and took him to hospital. While condemning  extra-judicial killings by SARS and other Police outfits against defenseless citizens and call for comprehensive reforms and overhaul of the system, the Minister however appealed to youths in Ughelli not to resort to violence and/or destruction of lives and properties.

“I am on top of this matter and though the victim is alive, I will be urging the authorities to still investigate the conduct of the Police in this matter,” the Minister said.

See the tweets below

@fkeyamo 1. I just spoke with both the Commissioner of Police, Delta State & the Area Commander in Ughelli where the unfortunate incident involving a young man & the Police took place yesterday. I also spoke with Ochuko, the victim’s brother. I was born, bred and raised in that same town

@fkeyamo 2) All of them said the victim is alive & receiving treatment. Whilst I totally condemn the extra-judicial killings by SARS & other Police outfits against defenseless citizens and call for comprehensive reforms and overhaul of the system, some facts of this case are as follows:

@fkeyamo 3) (a) The outfit involved in this case is called Operation Delta Safe and not SARS (b) the victim was not shot as confirmed by his brother, but fell out of the Police vehicle when being taken to the station after arrest. The brother said he was pushed; the Police said he jumped·

4) This is a picture of the victim in hospital this morning, showing  injuries from the fall (c) the Police stopped to pick him up after the fall, but an angry mob had already gathered and the Police fled and left the victim (d) A Good Samaritan picked him & took him to hospital

Fkeyamo 5. Finally, I wish to appeal to the youths in Ughelli not to resort to violence and/or destruction of lives and properties. I am on top of this matter and though the victim is alive, I will be urging the authorities to still investigate the conduct of the Police in this matter

Festus Keyamo, SAN