Surviving SARS: Doctor Shares Horrific Ordeal With SARS After 10 Years
“They could have ended my life few days to my induction after 6 years in school.”
I’ve tried everyday of my life to suppress this memory like it never happened. That’s why it’s taken so long to share my story.
The internet, in the last few days, has been filled with heart-wrenching tales of horrible experiences with police officers, especially SARS officials.
It took a lady identified as Doctor Kemi Quadri-Bello, 10 years to summon the courage to narrate her horrific ordeal in the hands of this infamous police unit.
Sharing her experience via her Twitter account, Doctor Kemi (@khemie200), spoke about how she was unlawfully arrested in front of Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) while waiting for a cab in 2010.
She wrote;
Finally summoned courage to share my SARS story: One day back in 2010, SARS picked me up in front of LUTH while I was waiting for a cab. I just graduated from Uni and it was a few days to induction. I came to LUTH to sort out my induction gown. We lived off Ogunlana drive back then. My dad called me that he wanted to come pick me up because he was feeling a certain way about my safety. And I was like, “Daddy, LUTH to Ogunlana is a stone throw, I’m a big girl now, let me take a cab. see you soon, love you!”. As soon as we hung up, my phone battery died.
For most people who have had the courage to share their experiences, this is how it all starts. Leaving home with the hope of returning to their family, leaving work, and saying, ‘see you soon’ to their friends and family. Unfortunately, some leave and never return alive or the same.
Doctor Kemi further stated;
While waiting for the cab in front of LUTH, these SARS guys came with their bus. They picked me up along with some other guys and threw me into their bus. They immediately started saying “Na yahoo boy girlfriend see her face, she’s one of them”. I was in shock. Gun pointed at me. I started crying , “sir I’m not a yahoo boy’s girlfriend, I’m a Doctor I just graduated i came for my gown”. I was screaming and crying.
They asked for my phone, the battery was dead and they asked me why I put it off. They said I was hiding something. Unfortunately I had no ID on me but I had the receipt for the gown which I showed them. The receipt of the graduation gown I showed them made absolutely no difference.
It’s pretty surprising how SARS officials tag one a cybercriminal merely by physical appearance or by the value of the individual’s mobile device(s) and vehicle. Many stories shared follow this pattern- You are profiled and judged by these officers even before you are charged with any offence (that is even if you have committed any).
The lady continued;
Two of them started using the bottom of their guns to hit me, I was screaming and crying. Some of the other guys in the bus were also being dealt with but I think it was my screams and cries that irritated them so much that they started beating me. When we got to Ojuelegba, they threw me out of the fast moving bus. I had nothing on me, I walked from Ojuelegba to Ogunlana, crying and wailing.
I was just glad they dropped me, I was happy they didn’t shoot me or take me somewhere to harm me. I was one of the lucky ones. By the way, this event happened around 2pm in the afternoon. I still remember the beating!!! Hurt like hell. I was just in my early 20s. I still have PTSD from the events of that day. It was a few days to my induction after 6years in school and these guys could have just ended my life for absolutely no reason.
She concluded;
I’ve tried everyday of my life to suppress this memory like it never happened. That’s why it’s taken so long to share my story. Reading people’s stories now, I realized. I was very lucky. I had bruises but not gunshot wound. Now I don’t want my children going through this.
Many victims like JIMOH ISIAQ. SLEEK. AYOMIDE TAIWO. PETER OFURUM. CHIKA IBEKU. CHIBUIKE ANAMS. IFEOMA ABUGU. CHRISTIAN ONUIGBO. EMMANUEL EGBO. VICTOR MADUAMAGO. CHIDI ODINAUWA. STEPHEN AGBANYIM. TONY ORUAMA. TIYAMIU KAZEEM. KOLADE JOHNSON all got arrested and were profiled just like Doctor Kemi but never returned alive.
May their soul Rest In Peace and strength to those who are alive.