Popular Nigerian actor Babatunde Omidina otherwise known as Baba Suwe has opened up on how he was left crippled and traumatised after encountering officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA in 2011.
NDLEA had arrested the veteran actor with claims that he was in possession of substances suspected to be cocaine.
Speaking exclusively in a chat with The PUNCH, the iconic actor said that he has been rendered crippled due to his experience in the hands of the NDLEA.
He said; “I have not forgotten about my issue with the NDLEA and I will never forget because I am still bearing the pains and suffering from that encounter. I am still affected by the inflictions they meted on me at that time”.
“As I speak with you, I cannot walk with both my legs. Just to visit the toilet in my room, I have to be carried there. Even using the toilet is a problem as well.
“Although I traveled abroad for medical check-up, my body is still not okay at all. As I said, I cannot walk to my toilet at all without assistance. This development began about a week or two ago. Before then, I hardly walk properly and anyone who sees me would know that I have difficulty walking.”
“When I was in the custody of the NDLEA, they searched me, injected me, asked me to go to the toilet, but they never found any cocaine inside my system. I defecated there and they did not see anything.
The veteran actor noted that he would have been compensated if his lawyer, Bamidele Aturu, was still alive. Aturu, a popular lawyer and activist died in 2014 after a brief illness.
“If my lawyer, Bamidele Aturu, was still alive, I will have got my compensation a long time ago because he is a good lawyer. He is also a compassionate person. The man was nice. When we were in court, he really tried. If he was alive, I would have been compensated,” he said.
Baba Suwe also said during the interview that his bad state of health has affected his career and he can no longer continue as an actor.
“I have not been able to continue my work as an actor partly because of what I am currently going through. I cannot start work because I am not strong enough.
“I am grateful to one of my younger ones who I introduced to the business, Yomi Fabiyi, for always yielding my calls. He is my son; he stayed with me and learnt from me. Fabiyi is one of those that has promised to get me a means of transportation to aid my movement, especially if I have to be at a location.”
Baba Suwe on Wednesday got N3.1m compensation for his demolished property by the Lagos State government.
Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, presented cheques worth N500m to owners of properties demolished for the construction of the ongoing Igbogbo-Igbe Road Expansion Road Ikorodu, Lagos project.
