The driver
A large number of Nigerians have
condemned the chaining of an Edo State driver to a patrol truck along
Sopkonba Road Junction, Benin, the Edo State capital.
A resident, Augustine Ogbomwan, who was
filming the torture of the unidentified driver with his mobile phone
camera, was also said to have been detained by the police.
It was learnt that some cops attached to the Esigie Police Division had stopped the driver’s vehicle on Sunday.
The policemen allegedly asked the driver to alight from the vehicle and searched him.
A businessman, Franklyn Irabor, who
lived close to the scene of the incident, said when the cops did not
find anything on the driver, they searched the passenger in the vehicle,
but did not also find anything incriminating.
He said, “One of the policemen bent down
and picked something from the ground. He then challenged the passenger
over the item, which they said was hemp.
“Suddenly, the passenger fled and they
arrested the driver. They hit him with their batons and guns before
handcuffing him to their patrol truck. They drove away as the man
initially struggled to catch up before falling, while the police van
dragged him on the road.
“The driver started calling for help. We
could not bear the man’s pain and we decided to intervene. The
policemen challenged us for interrupting police business.
“My elder brother, Courage, who was with
me, told them that there was no justification for their action; but
they asked him to shut up. One of the officers cocked his gun and
threatened to shoot us.
“We thought it was a joke, until they
started firing into the air. One of them pushed my brothers away and
another one came and handcuffed me. They hit me in the back with the
butt of their guns. I sustained bruises. They slapped my brother who
tried to stop them from arresting me. They also handcuffed him with me.”
Franklyn said at that point, a crowd
formed around the policemen to stop them from leaving with the three of
them, adding that the team called for a backup.
He said the new set of policemen, on arriving at the scene, however, chided the team on the ground for their action.
“The policemen that arrested me and my
brothers were in mufti, while the new policemen were in uniforms. The
ones in uniforms told the other team that it was wrong for them to
handcuff and drag the driver on the road.
“Because of the disagreement between the
two teams, the ones in mufti left. One of the other policemen
apologised to us for our injuries and said he would find the key of the
handcuffs. After about 45 minutes, they came and unlocked our
handcuffs,” he added.
Another witness, Kenneth Obasohan, who
confirmed Franklyn’s account, described the policemen’s action as
irresponsible, adding that the attacks on the brothers and the driver
were unwarranted.
“The driver was foaming in the mouth
after they dragged him on the road with their vehicle. They didn’t put
him in the van and that was the genesis of all these,” he added.
As of 6pm on Wednesday, a video of the incident posted on Facebook around 12pm on Tuesday, had been shared by over 3,608 persons.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the video, which was already trending on different social media platforms, angered the Edo State Police Command.
A resident, who had captured the incident on his phone, Ogbomwan, was said to have been detained after the video went viral.
“They actually arrested him on that
Sunday and he slept in the station till Monday when he was released
after paying N30,000 for bail. They asked him to come for his mobile
phone on Tuesday.
“But when they saw that the video, which
was posted by another person, had gone viral, the Investigating Police
Officer, Inspector Idemudia, detained Ogbowan when he went to collect
the phone on Tuesday. The IPO said he was acting on the orders of the
Divisional Police Officer, who felt embarrassed by the video. The man is
still in detention,” Franklyn added.
Nigerians, who saw the video, called for the punishment of the officers over the incident.
One Chosen Edosa claimed that the Esigie Police Division was notorious for extortion.
He said, “Esigie division is a place
where animal police are. They have done a lot of injustice to my family.
Drivers along Akpapava Road, from First Junction to Second Junction
(are usually victims); they don’t let taxi drivers have peace. When they
are hungry, they go for drivers who are looking for their daily bread.
And when you get to their station, you will ask them, ‘Oga wetin I do?’ and they will say, ‘Go bring N10,000 to clear your motor.’ I have a lot of bad experience with them.”
Another poster, Olatunji Ahmed, questioned the training of officials of the Nigeria Police Force.
“Even if this guy is a criminal, I don’t
think he deserved this treatment. God is watching us in this country. I
believe He will help us in this country when it’s time,” he added.
Another Facebook user, Friday Ighodaro, suggested that the policemen involved in the incident be fired for lack of professionalism.
When PUNCH Metro called the state police spokesperson, DSP Moses Nkombe, he declined comment and shunned our correspondent.
The following conversation ensued:
PUNCHman: “Good day
sir, I am calling in respect of the case of the driver that was
allegedly chained and dragged on the ground with a police van. What is
the position of the command; has any policeman been indicted?”
PPRO: “I don’t think you are a trained journalist. Do you publish your story before you balance it or you balance before you publish?
PUNCHman: “I called to get your reaction, sir. I don’t get what you are saying.”
The PPRO cut the call.
A text message sent to him to ask if that was his official reaction was not replied to as of press time.
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