In
her mid-thirties, Tina Dimoji, is a woman who never imagined her life
could come crashing down during an outing with her husband of 14 years,
Okey.
For the first time since she lost her
44-year-old husband in a tragic accident at Mile 2, Lagos, when the
vehicle they were riding in was stopped by a team of policemen on
illegal duty, Tina decided to share her story with Saturday PUNCH in an emotional moment that threatened to break her down completely.
During the interview, Tina even required the support of a friend, who held her hand all through, to ensure she stayed strong.
She could not bear to narrate the story without such physical support because every memory was agony for her.
“I
lost my confidant, our breadwinner, a very loving husband and great
father to his children,” Tina shook her head and tears streamed down her
face.
On April 30, 2015, Tina and Okey left
their Anthony Village home and set out for a service of songs at Navy
Town, Mile 2, Lagos, without any premonition of a looming tragedy.
Tina told our correspondent, “Earlier in
the day, we went to Ikeja and when we got back home, he changed into a
traditional attire and I decided to do the same in preparation for the
programme at Mile 2.
“We were on our way back around 7.30pm
when we got to the interchange at Mile 2 and a policeman (Sgt. Victor
Egbovour) stood in the middle of the road and stopped our car.
Okey
“I could see three other policemen on the
side of the road behind him. He (Egbovour) told my husband to get down
from the car but my husband told him he wanted to park properly.
“His voice grew stronger as he again
ordered him to get out of the car. My husband insisted two more times
that he had to park well. On the third time, the policeman cocked his
gun and said ‘You want to teach me my job?’ That was when my husband got
down from the car and the policeman seized the car key.”
But that obedient action would cost Okey his life.
It was apparent the account had got to
the most painful part of Tina’s memory. She paused and held her head in
her hands. Her voice shook but she mustered the resolve to continue.
She said, “Just a moment later, all I saw
was that the policeman jumped out of the way. In a split second, a
loaded trailer hit my husband and dragged him some distance under its
tyres.
“The policeman was facing the coming
traffic so he was able to see the vehicle in time. My husband had his
back towards the traffic. But the policeman made no attempt to push him
out of the way or warn him about the coming vehicle.”
Tina, who was sitting in her husband’s
vehicle during the encounter, dashed out of the vehicle just in time to
hear her husband groan under the tyres of the trailer, “Ah, this
policeman has killed me.”
She screamed as she saw her husband bleeding heavily from mangled flesh on his body.
“The driver of the trailer came out with
his conductor and attempted to extricate him from under the tyre, but
each time they did, blood gushed out,” Tina said.
But what did the four policemen standing around do at that moment?
“One of them took a look and told the
others, ‘E be like say this man don die o.’ That was the last we saw of
them. Few moments later, they all fled. We did not even know how they
disappeared. We later realised that the one who collected the car key
had dropped it on the ground,” Tina said.
It was learnt that as they eventually
extricated Okey’s body from under the trailer, Tina was asked to drive
the car closer so they could put her badly injured husband in the
vehicle. But she could not move as a result of shock.
When Okey was eventually put in the car
and driven to the nearest hospital, he had lost so much blood. Added to
that was the fact that the hospital officials said his case was beyond
their capability and had to refer him to a bigger hospital. But it was
too late for Okey, he died shortly after.
According to Tina, if the policemen had not fled, perhaps, her husband could have been saved.
“They would have been able to clear the
road for us as we raced to the hospital. They could have done a lot to
ensure that we get there faster. But they caused my husband’s death and
abandoned us immediately,” she said.
All the policemen were later tracked down
and arrested. Apart from Egbovour, the other policemen involved are
Corporal Simeon Omaye, Corporal Sumalaan Corporal Arabama.
Tina said her husband’s death brought her
life to a standstill. Family members said she had barely been eating or
sleeping since the incident.
Okey, whose grandfather was a retired
Archbishop of the Methodist Church, met his wife in a church in Enugu
and since then, they had been inseparable.
She said, “I cannot begin to explain what
life has been for me and our two children (aged 12 and 11) since I lost
the love of my life. Ours was a family filled with love. We were
planning for his 45th birthday and had even informed all his friends. We
planned a family trip. He was renovating this house in preparation for
the birthday.
“The last two months has been traumatic
for our children as well. One of my children recently won an award in
school but rather than come home and rejoice, he was sobbing.
“The day we were supposed to celebrate
the birthday of my second son, we were in the presence of the police
provost marshal, testifying in the orderly room trial of the policemen
involved in his father’s death.”
Okey was said to be a consummate businessman owning publishing, telecommunications, courier and security companies among others.
Saturday PUNCH learnt that the driver of the trailer, Abu Christopher, has also been arraigned for manslaughter.
Police sources said the four policemen
are currently facing an orderly room trial for abandoning their normal
duty and embarking on an illegal duty.
The family lawyer and a close friend of
the deceased, Mr. Omeoga Chukwu, lamented the “wicked atrocity” that
claimed the life of his friend.
He said, “As far back as 1994 he already
employed as many as 30 people. He was such an industrious and honourable
man. This is why we remain resolute in our commitment to justice.
“He died out of negligence and direct act
of wickedness on the part of the policemen. We know we cannot bring
back the dead but we would ensure justice is done for the deceased, his
widow and children.
“We need to put it in the consciousness
of other policemen in the country that they would be held accountable
for their actions. We are aware the policemen involved are facing an
orderly room trial. We are waiting for the final decision of the police
authorities.”
The family expressed appreciation to the
former Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Kayode Aderanti, for
taking a prompt action when the case was brought to his attention. Tina
also said she could not have survived the last two months without the
help of her family, her husband’s true friends, Prelate of the Methodist
Church of Nigeria and other high ranking members of the church.
The deceased has not been buried due to
delays in post-mortem processes. But the family said on July 17, he
would be interred in his home town of Ihube in Imo State.
Source:Punch
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