EBEN ENASCO REPORTING..
After the #ENDSARS agitations of 2020, over Security Operative’s conduct in public against citizens, one would have believed that they have comprehended a huger course on how to approach situations.
But this is not so, because Nigerians, have been made to face even stiffer allegations of maltreatment and brutality from Security Operatives since the various demonstrations across the country.
The recent incident, between a middle-aged man identified as Uyi Daniels, a private Commercial driver, and an official of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC, is a pointer to another #ENDSARS agitation if not managed accordingly.
According to findings, the now trending incident was said to have happened at about 8:30 pm around Ihama Road, GRA, by Royal Marble Hotel, when suddenly a white Toyota Venza accidentally hit his Audi 80 car from behind leaving Uyi’s back windscreen to pull off.
The development necessitated uyi to hurriedly come down from his vehicle to ascertain the level of damage incurred on his car.
Abifade Tunji, a staff of the EFCC Zonal office in Benin, was said to be the owner and driver of the Toyota Venza that allegedly rammed into the Audi 80 of the victim, Uyi Daniels from behind.
The Toyota Venza front bumper was also said to have been affected during the accident.
On seeing the damage on his Toyota Venza, Abifade Tunji was said to have gone irritated and advanced a huge slap on the face of the cab operator, according to the victims’ novels heard on the trending video.
An eyewitness who also corroborated the victim’s claims to our correspondent and pleaded for anonymity said, the Cabman was brutally beaten and injured on the edicts of the Toyota Venzas’ owner.
His words: “Abifade ordered some suspected ‘yahoo boys’ who were within the vicinity to beat up Uyi not knowing Abifade’s house was a stone thrown from the scene of the incident”.
“Uyi was reportedly abducted, tortured, and dehumanized by Abifade and his friends who seem to be very loyal to him”.
“He was hurled into Abifade’s compound as he was seen handcuffed to his burglary-proof like a common criminal till 5 pm the following day January 16, 2022, with his two hands handcuffed to his legs”.
According to the eyewitness, the following day, Uyi was allowed to reach out to his father who was later told to pay the sum of N30,000 thirty thousand naira, as ransom to secure the release of his son.
Before the eventual arrival of his father, it was learned that Abifade’s younger brother allegedly brought out a knife threatening to stab Uyi, but he was resisted by their neighbors.
At some points during the arguments, according to the source, Abifade had threatened too, to shoot Uyi with his gun which made his neighbors scamper for safety.
Abifade Tunji who later introduced himself as an official of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission attached to the Benin zonal office allegedly ordered Daniels Uyi’s father to fix his damaged Toyota Venza before releasing his son to him.
Daniels’ father, on spotting his son handcuffed to a burglary-proof, got panicked and had to seek for money to release his son from Abifade’s private home detention facility.
It was gathered that, after many scuffles between the duo, no settlement was reached, leaving the Victim to suffer humiliations.
Uyi who later went to Aideyan Police Divisional Headquarters to lodge a formal complaint was told to establish a petition and addresss it to the Commissioner of Police or the AIG Zone 5 Benin, as the Deputy Commissioner Of Police, DCO, was quoted as saying “the matter pass us”.
When contacted by some Civil Society Agitators, who brought the complaints before The Acting Zonal Head, EFCC, Nkechi Ude in Benin City, expressed her disappointment over the viral video of how the victim was treated.
She hinted that the commission’s Executive Chairman is keenly interested in the matter and had instructed a discrete investigation and an Onward actions if found culpable.
Ude explained that whatever has happened is not and cannot be the image of the commission.
The acting Zonal Head, however, appealed for calm while pledging to deliver justice to the commercial motorist, who was brutilized and detained in a private resident of his alleged captor. She added that appropriate sanctions will be meted when found culpable.
The #EndSARS movement saw a majority of Nigeria’s marginalized youths who make up 35.6% of the total population participate in one of the largest demonstration movements since the country’s democratic transition in 1999.
Justice is expected now to be served on merit, to avoid any form of reoccurence of another #endsars protest anytime soon.