Lawless Nigerian Army Personnel Brutalise, Injure Motorist On Abuja Expressway
Speaking to SaharaReporters on Thursday, Omodogbe disclosed how a convoy of soldiers overtook their vehicle and ordered them to stop.
Some Nigerian Army personnel have allegedly beaten and brutalised a man, Peter Omodogbe, along the Kwaita road in Gwagwalada, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The incident reportedly occurred around 8pm on Wednesday as Omodogbe was returning from work in his private car with his colleagues.
Speaking to SaharaReporters on Thursday, Omodogbe disclosed how a convoy of soldiers overtook their vehicle and ordered them to stop.
He alleged that the soldiers, who were travelling from Lokoja to Abuja, descended on him without provocation, subjecting him to severe physical assault.
He said the motive behind the attack remains unclear to him.
“We were scared because of the recent kidnappings along the expressway, so we planned to move to an area with more people. That way, if anything happened, there would be witnesses.”
He urged the military authorities to identify the errant officers and ensure that the soldiers adhere to professional conduct and respect citizens’ rights.
Another witness, Festus Olotu, who was in the car when soldiers barricaded their vehicle, told SaharaReporters that they initially thought the soldiers were kidnappers, as many reported kidnapping cases involved attackers disguised in uniforms.
“Before we knew it, the soldiers had barricaded us. Before my colleague could even open the door, they started beating him to a stupor,” Olotu said.
“Immediately I saw them, I ran for my life because I thought they were kidnappers. Unfortunately, my colleague, who was driving, was caught. They beat him severely and tore his lip.
“It was only after they left that I returned and rushed him to the hospital,” he added.
Olotu questioned why Nigerian security personnel, who are supposed to protect lives and property, would turn on the very citizens they swore an oath to defend.
“In a country where people are highly conscious of security threats, Nigerian soldiers—who are meant to fight insecurity—are the ones beating harmless citizens as they please,” he lamented.
Olotu called on the Nigerian Army to investigate the soldiers responsible for the assault, ensure they are punished as a deterrent to others, and adequately compensate his injured colleague, identified as Peter.
When SaharaReporters contacted the Nigerian Army spokesperson, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, he neither answered his calls nor responded to messages.
