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For daring to exchange words with an army officer on January 15, 2009, a 70-year-old man, Joseph Okechukwu Agu, was given the beaten of his life.

He did not believe, back then, as the blows rained down on his hapless head that he would live to testify before a public tribunal on the incident that transpired between him and the soldier.

Agu must have told his family as he was leaving for work, that the day would be better, and that they should hope for the best when he returns. He was however unaware that a dare- devil in military khaki was already waiting somewhere with a dose of agony.

The aged man met his waterloo, when an enraged army Sergeant, Francis Ogah, who is serving at the 82 Division, Enugu Barracks dragged him off his lorry and gave him the beating of his life, with the metallic buckle of his belt that later led to his total blindness.

Narrating his ordeal on that fateful day, Agu who is now assisted by his wife to move about, said: “On January 15, 2009, at about 8.30a.m, I was attacked by Sergeant Francis Ogar with his belt. The soldier hit my face with the metallic buckle of his belt, and that led to the blindness of both my eyes.

“The incident took place along Abakpa-Ogui Road, Enugu. I was driving a tipper lorry and Ogah was driving a Mitsubishi bus. He was in his army uniform on that day, all of a sudden, he double-crossed me, blocked my tipper, pulled me out of the lorry and started beating me.

“Other soldiers intervened, but Ogar continued to beat me and seized my ignition keys. He used the iron belt to hit me several times on my head and face and blood started gushing out of my eyes and face.

“I complained to army authorities, but I was not properly treated or compensated, and the sergeant was not even punished. After several medical treatments, which spanned more than one year, I went completely blind. In the process, I sold all my family and personal belongings to meet my medical expenses during the treatment but nothing positive happened.”

Determined to make the erring army officer face the full wrath of the law, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), National Committee on Torture (NCoT), Network on Police Reform in Nigeria (NOPRIN), and some concerned eminent Nigerian citizens have also joined in the quest for justice on behalf of a helpless and distraught Nigerian citizen, whose fundamental human right to the dignity of his person has been cruelly trampled upon with impunity by an army officer.

At the News Conference on the torture and inhuman treatment of Mr. Joseph Okechukwu Agu by Sergeant Francis Ogar, the concerned organisations said: “We have invited you here today to share with you the chilling story of a 70-year-old- man, Mr. Joseph Okechukwu Agu, who has been sentenced to a life of physical deformity, mental agony and incapacitation since one year and seven months ago. The perpetrator of this heinous crime and gross abuse is Sergeant Francis Ogah, of the 82 Division of the Nigeria Army, Enugu. We are hard put to fathom how an army officer paid with tax payers’ money to defend fellow Nigerians against external aggression, could decide to flaunt his power and weapon against his fellow countryman, viciously attacked him and blinded him on both eyes for no justifiable reason. We are also appalled that the victim’s cry for justice has so far gone unheeded by army authorities. To add salt to the injury, the brutal and apparently insane army officer has been allowed to remain in the service of the Nigerian army, moving about freely, complete with his two eyes, and yet to be made to face the legal consequences of his heinous crime and flagrant abuse against a fellow human.

“We condemn this dastardly act of unprovoked aggression by Sergeant Ogar on a helpless Mr. Agu. We view this, not only as a flagrant abuse of power, but also an unprovoked violent assault on the victim’s fundamental human right to human dignity.

“We believe that the victim’s fundamental right to human dignity has been violently abused, and he is therefore, entitled to payment of full compensation for loss of sight and loss of income as he has become disabled and unable to undertake any work to feed and support his large family, being the breadwinner.

“He is also entitled to damages for medical expenses incurred. We demand, on his behalf, full and impartial investigation and prosecution of the perpetrator, Sergeant Francis Ogah, who is still in the service of Nigerian Army.

“We call on the GOC, 82 Division, Nigeria Army, Enugu; the Chief of Army Staff, Army headquarters, Abuja; the Minister of Defence; and the Governor of Enugu State, Barr. Sullivan Chime to take urgent and appropriate measures to ensure that justice is done.

“They should, among other actions, ensure that the victim secures adequate remedies and redress including: Compensations for loss of sight/complete blindness; compensation for loss of income to support his family, and damages for medical expenses incurred.

“The authorities should also ensure that the perpetrator is promptly prosecuted before the ordinary court for attempted murder, aggravated assault occasioning harm, and military misconduct. He should be dismissed from army service as deterrent to impunity.

The authorities should also ensure that the victim and his family are protected from possible reprisal from the army officer and/or those who may be in sympathy with him.

“Further, the Ministry of Defence should as a matter of urgency provide urgent medical treatment to the victim, to ensure that further injuries are averted. If possible, more medical examination should be conducted to see if he can recover the use of any of his eyes.

“We appeal to Nigerians to give support to this campaign for justice; to ensure that justice is attained, and that no human being is allowed to suffer this, or any, kind of injustice again.”