How I Was Beaten To Pulp By Ex-Official, Thugs — NUPENG Deputy President Tells Court

The Deputy President of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Olujide Kilanko, on Tuesday told the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) how he was allegedly attacked by a former national chairman of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch, Lucky Osesua, along with 20 others at the union’s national secretariat in Abuja.

Osesua and 20 others are standing trial before Justice Yusuf Halilu of the FCT High Court, Maitama, in case number FCT/HC/CR/042/2023, on a five-count charge bordering on attempted murder, breach of peace, and ass@ult.

The defendants were alleged to have, on November 1, 2023, attacked NUPENG President, William Akporeha; the union’s Secretary-General, Olawale Afolabi; and the PTD National Chairman, Augustine Egbon (now deceased), in a manner likely to cause their death, among other offenses.

Other defendants include Dayyabu Garga, Humble Obinna, Akinolu Olabisi, Godwin Nwaka, Tiamiu Sikiru, Abdulmimin Shaibu, John Amajuoyi, Zaira Aregbo, Patrick Erhivwor, Stephen Ogheneruemu, Gift Ukponku, Sunday Ezeocha, and seven others. They pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Testifying as the third prosecution witness (PW3), Kilanko told the court that on November 1, 2023, Osesua allegedly led others to ambush and attack him and three other union leaders at the PTD-NUPENG secretariat located at No. 50 Majekodunmi Crescent, Utako, Abuja.

He said the defendants, alongside thugs allegedly mobilized to the venue, were armed with stones, sticks, and broken concrete blocks.

“That morning in the company of my president, Comrade Akporeha, we were in a vehicle along with General Secretary Afolabi Olawale and the late Comrade Augustine Egbon.

“We arrived at No. 50 Majekodunmi Crescent, Utako, Abuja. The driver used to press the horn two times, and the gate would be opened.

“This time around, no response from the gate, and Afolabi went down from the car. There was no response, and the president too went down to join him.

“That was when I looked up and saw that Comrade Lucky Osesua and a few others were also at the gate. I had to go down too to join them.

“I saw Comrade Osesua saying they have come. That made me look down in the direction he signaled, and I saw the rest of the defendants now coming with stones, sticks, and broken concrete.

“When I noticed what they were holding, I had to struggle through the pedestrian gate to enter. As I pushed back, Osesua and Sylvanus held Afolabi down at the security gate.”

Kilanko further told the court that after gaining entry into the premises, he was blocked and ass@ulted.

“As I was arguing with them that I would pass, they started be@ting me. They hit my legs and lips. When the be@ting was getting too much, then I turned and wanted to go back outside, not inside again.

“It was one of them that hit the back of my head with either stone or wood, and I fell outside on the floor. I fell unconscious. They still kicked me.

“A few minutes later, I started hearing sound, and that brought me up again. I saw across the road Comrade Afolabi down on the pedestrian floor. I had to manage to get up. I moved towards the side of the office fence.”

He said his attempt to escape in a vehicle was thwarted.

“By the roadside, I saw a car that was parked and a driver standing by the car. Because I was wounded, I begged the driver to move me out of the place. He agreed.

“As he was making a U-turn to get out of the place, Olabisi Akinlolu (4th defendant) and Sikiru Tiamiyu (9th defendant) saw me and called other defendants, shouting my name.

“They stopped the driver and further threatened the driver with sharp objects. Before I could open the door, Dele Nwaka (5th defendant) smashed the windscreen of the car, so I had to leave the car.

“Before I could open the door, they dragged me down from the car and started be@ting me again. The be@ting stopped when someone among them cautioned that I could die,” he told the court.

Kilanko said he later managed to escape on a tricycle and was eventually taken to a private hospital by a union member who responded to his call for help.

“I could only remember that I woke up at a private hospital.

“The police came to the hospital and took me, Afolabi, and Akporeha to their office. When I was asked to make a statement, I could only dictate.”

The prosecuting counsel, David Kaswe, tendered Kilanko’s hospital card and police statement, which were admitted as exhibits.

Under cross-examination by defense counsel, Christopher Oshomegie, SAN, Kilanko said he could not recall the number or names of doctors who treated him.

“I don’t know the number. I didn’t even know how I got to the hospital. When I woke up, I could only observe that one medical doctor was attending to me,” he said.

On why his police statement was not as detailed as his testimony in court, he responded, “I was too tired to write. They were asking me questions, and I was responding.”

Earlier, Kaswe had sought the revocation of Osesua’s bail, alleging breach of bail conditions. The defense opposed the request, describing it as “reprehensible.”

“Why are they asking that their bail be revoked when they have been denied access to the depots? It is an act of inhumanity to demand that their bail be revoked. What have they done? What offense have they committed, and are you asking that their bail be revoked?” Oshomegie argued.

Justice Halilu, however, held that there was nothing wrong with the prosecutor drawing the court’s attention to the issue.

“He (the prosecutor) has all the right to ask that I revoke a bail, but he ought to have shared with you. I always tell defendants that your relationship is between you and the court, not your lawyer. Your bail is your constitutional right, but on the terms that you don’t breach the contractual agreement.

“So, I insist that Kaswe hasn’t done anything wrong by bringing it to my attention. He should have informed me or written formally to the court. So, Kaswe hasn’t done anything wrong. I am the judge here.

“The fact that he said he will write an application to revoke a bail doesn’t mean that I will grant it. But it is his right.”

Justice Halilu subsequently adjourned the matter to April 28 for continuation of trial.