Segun Adeoye, a Nigerian doctor residing in the United States (US), has filed a lawsuit against the government of the US, demanding $400m compensation.
Dr. Adeoye, a family medicine specialist with training in Nigeria, Ghana and the US made the demand because he was wrongfully detained.
His attorney, Femi Ogunjumelo of Mayday Law Office in Houston, Texas, noted in the court filing that as a result of the arrest, his client lost both of his homes and has since been diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
In addition to his ongoing treatment for PTSD, Adeoye is also experiencing reputational damage, as he has been ostracized by his professional peers, making it difficult for him to secure a reputable job at a quality hospital.
He also mentioned that, due to the court’s denial of his bail on the grounds that he was a flight risk, making him unable to give his late father a proper burial.
His father passed away while he was still incarcerated.
After spending nearly 30 months in pre-trial detention, he was acquitted by a jury on Friday, March 15, 2024, which cleared him of all criminal charges.
He described his prison experience as something out of a horror movie and said he would not wish such an ordeal on anyone, even his worst enemy.
The family medicine specialist shared that he had lived a nearly perfect life prior to his arrest.
He expressed disbelief, recalling how he had asked the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents if they were sure he was the person they were detaining.
“I had my dad while I was in jail.
“I had no time to grieve or attend his funeral.
“He died thinking the son he raised rightly was locked in jail,” The doctor said.
Although Adeoye was released from his wrongful detention, he has not yet received his passport and green card, which are reportedly being withheld by federal authorities.
His mother who resides in Nigeria is also ill and 13 of his family members who had been living with him in Texas, US and whom he had supported generously before his 2021 arrest have now scattered.
Some have even relocated to Canada.
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