For the quick intervention of residents and passers-by, a 45-yearold commercial driver, Saturday Akpomose, would have been bitten to death by dogs which pounced on him in Ajah area of Lagos. Akpomose, who hailed from Akwa Ibom State, had gone to the area with his wife to visit his in-law, Mr Christian Peter, when seven dogs pounced on him. The incident occurred about 8am on April 22. The dogs, said to be owned by a captain serving in the United States Marine, were reportedly being taken out of the compound at the time. It was gathered that when the dogs saw Akpomose, they pounced on him and torn his clothes to rags.
He was rescued by the residents and passersby. The people later reported the matter at the Ogombo Police Division, from where Akpomose was taken to Akodo General Hospital, Ajah. When our correspondent visited the hospital on Saturday, Akpomose was seen with bloodstains and bruises he sustained from the attack. He said: “My wife and I went to visit my in-law On Sunday. He lived on Okun Ajah Road in Eti Osa East Local Government Development Area. We also stay in Ajah area. Later, on Tuesday morning, I just strolled out of the compound and I came across the dogs. “As I stepped out, I saw a security man coming out with several dogs. They were very huge Australian dogs. I was terrified when I saw them. As I tried to withdraw into the compound, they overpowered the man holding them.
“As I bent down to pick a stone and scare them away, they pounced on me and that was all I knew. As I tried to wriggle myself free, they continued biting me. They bit me in almost all parts of my body, including my head. “As I screamed, some residents came out and tried to chase the dogs away with sticks. My screams even woke up my in-law. At a time, I became weak and unconscious, and it was the people who rushed me to the hospital.” The in-law, who led the residents to take Akpomose to the hospital, said: “It was the screams that woke me up.
When I rushed outside, I saw people and I asked Akpomose’s wife, who explained to me what had happened.” When our correspondent visited the house of the owner of the dogs, the Chief Security Officer, who identified himself simply as Victor, said “the following day, the in-law of the victim came to our house with the picture of Akpomose and I promised to show it to my boss. “We have admitted that our dogs attacked him, we are human beings who have blood flowing in our veins, and it can happen to anybody, we accepted that it was negligence on our side.”
Victor said when he visited the victim at the hospital, he was not happy with Akpomose’s condition. He added: “Immediately I got back home, I explained the condition I met him to my boss who directed me to see his family and take a decision on how to take Akpomose to his own private hospital for proper medical attention. “We have bought all the drugs they asked us to buy from the hospital. We are showing you these receipts to let you know that we care about the victim.”
