An Abuja-based real estate businessman, Kingsley Obiukwu, was allegedly assaulted last Saturday by a suspected police anti-cultism team in Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos State. The businessman, who came on a visit to Lagos, shares his experience with SIMON UTEBOR

You posted on Instagram how you were allegedly assaulted by suspected policemen. How did the incident happen?

I was walking in Lagos State when a man in mufti grabbed my shirt. I asked him why he did that and he said he was a policeman. He brought out his ID card, flashed it and put it back in his pocket. He ordered me to follow him to a bus. I asked why I should follow him to the bus because I didn’t understand the reason why he wanted me to do that. I told him I would not follow him.

But before I could say anything else, three other men, armed with AK47 rifles, joined him and pushed me towards their bus. When they succeeded in dragging me to the bus, I looked inside and saw other men in the bus wearing police vests and jean trousers. ‘Police Anti-cultism Team’ was written at the back of their vests and all of them were armed.

What did you do when you sighted them?

I struggled with them because the bus, which was white, did not have a number plate. I shouted for help but no one came to my aid. Eventually, they succeeded in bundling me into the bus. As soon as they did that, they handcuffed me and started beating me. They beat the living hell out of me. While they were beating me, they started the bus and moved. They were not driving me to any police station. They were just beating me as if I was a criminal. I still managed to ask them what I did wrong despite the severe beating but the more I talked, the more they beat the hell out of me.

At some point, they asked me to bring my phone. I asked them what they were going to do with my phone, but that enraged them the more as the beating intensified. They ordered me to unlock my phone and remove the password on it. Even as I was trying to unlock the phone for them, they were raining slaps and punches on me. The phone was eventually unlocked and they went through it but did not see anything incriminating. They went through some of my transactions. I told them I was a businessman in Abuja. But they kept saying, “You are Yahoo, Yahoo boy.” I brought out all the ID cards I had on me, my business cards and showed them but they were not listening. They kept on beating me.

Where did this incident take place?

It took place at Second Rainbow area in Amuwo Odofin, Lagos. From that point, they climbed Mile 2 Bridge, and started moving towards Oshodi. They were still beating me as we got to Isolo.

And all the while, they didn’t tell you why they were beating you…

I don’t live in Lagos. I didn’t know they pick people up randomly like that. If someone comes to you and says you should follow them to a bus, there is no way you will do that if you don’t know who they are. So, I struggled with them because I did not want to enter the bus. I was terrified. I don’t think that should make them angry and brutalise me because of that.

How long do you think the beating lasted?

It was about 30 minutes of severe beating. They beat me until I became powerless. Then they asked me if I had any money on me. They also asked how much I had on me. I told them I did not know how much I had but I knew I had some money on me. They ordered me to bring out the money. I brought out all the money I had on me. They counted the money; it was N15, 000. They took the money and asked me to sit down somewhere. As I sat down, I begged them to leave me alone as I had done nothing to warrant the brutality. Thereafter, they drove for another five minutes and dropped me off after Isolo Bridge. They gave me N200 out of my N15, 000 and said I should use that as transport fare. After that, they shouted at me and ordered me to go and looking back. It was such a horrifying experience for me. It is a day I cannot forget in a hurry.

How did you feel when they gave you the N200?

Obiukwu after the alleged assault
Honestly, I felt bad but I preferred to be alive because there were eight of them in the bus and all of them were armed with guns. They beat me as if they were beating a common criminal. I thanked God within me that they did not kill me. I did not think about the N200. What was on my mind despite the pain I was feeling was that I was alive. Moreover, their bus had no number plate and they were not in uniform, except for the vests and jean trousers they wore. There was no way one could identify those men and their vehicle. It was such a terrible experience. Before they dropped me off, they had picked up another person. I know he would go through the brutal experience I passed through.

What did they eventually say was your offence?

Which offence? They said nothing. I was just walking on the road like a normal Nigerian wearing a T-shirt and a pair of jean trousers when one of them accosted me. There was no offence, no reason to have done that.

They were just driving slowly. They were saying rhetorically, ‘Oga, we will take you to our station; we will take you to the station.’ They maintained a speed of about 30km per hour. I kept wondering if I would leave the bus alive because the beating was terrible. There was no station they wanted to take me to because after they picked me up, they passed about four police stations and did not stop. It was from Amuwo Odofin I noticed I was in trouble. Amuwo Odofin has a police station but they did not take me there. There was no intention of going to any station.

How would you describe their operation?

From what I learnt, they were in the habit of just picking people up at random – not because those people did anything wrong. It is just act of criminality.

Despite the anti-cultism vests they were putting on, do you think they could have been armed robbers operating like policemen?

They were not armed robbers. If they were armed robbers, they would have taken me away. The fact that they dropped me off showed that they were not armed robbers. Four of them wore the police vests and I don’t think armed robbers would stand in the middle of the road with Ak47 rifles and no policeman would challenge them. The junction where they picked me up is always busy, so I don’t see armed robbers standing in the middle of the road with AK47 rifles without the police asking them about their IDs and other things. Those guys were definitely police officers.

Have you reported the matter at the police station?

Immediately they dropped me, I left Lagos Mainland for Lagos Island. I left Lagos the next day; I boarded a morning flight bound for Abuja. However, I have spoken to the Commissioner of Police in Lagos about the assault. I also spoke to an Assistant Inspector General of Police about the incident.

What have they said or done about it?

They said they were going to get the men for me by (last) Monday but till now, I have not heard anything.

What is your next line of action?

Those people pick up people every single day. There is no way I will keep quiet. Anybody can be their victim regardless of who they are. The only crime you have to commit is to walk on the road. You don’t need to do anything wrong for them to pick you up. Anyone can get assaulted. Definitely, I am going to pursue this matter to its logical conclusion. I used to hear about this kind of thing but I never knew there was such impunity going. Now that it has happened to me, it is a sign that it can happen to anybody. Definitely, I am going to raise awareness about this to the best of my ability.

I brought out all my means of identification from my wallet but they were not interested in ID cards. They were simply there to rob. They are just criminals who call themselves policemen. They saw all my ID cards and other means of identification, looked at them and disregarded them. They were bent on robbing and extorting people, pure and simple. And they pick people at random and there is nothing their victims can do because once you are in their vehicle, you are helpless.

Did you sustain any injury?

I got a bloodied eye because of the merciless beating. As I speak to you, my eyes are still red. The handcuffs they put on my wrists were very tight. My wrists are still bruised and my legs are wounded. My body still aches; I’m going through all this suffering for no reason at all.

What advice do you have for the authorities to deal with this kind of atrocity?

It was a criminal act and should not be overlooked. Do you know Fela Anikulapo-Kuti’s 1979 song titled ‘Unknown soldiers’. If 41 years after, we still have unknown soldiers on our roads and the authorities are not doing anything about them, it means the monies they extort from people are getting to some people in high places. You can’t be having something like this for more than 41 years and the authorities will be feigning ignorance of the situation. Authorities must be aware of this savagery and barbarism taking place on our roads. A lot of people are weeping and crying every day that they are being abused and assaulted by the police and if they don’t do anything about it, it means we don’t have authorities and it means Nigeria is just another jungle.

What advice do you have fellow citizens with regards to your experience?

I will advise fellow Nigerians not to walk on the streets. The streets are not safe anymore; the police who claim to be protecting you are there to rob you. In Nigeria, it is now a crime to be an ordinary citizen. I was wearing a T-shirt and a pair of jean trousers, that is all, and those policemen picked me up and battered me like a criminal. It is a sad situation and I am really pained as I talk right now.

Simplyleo:
[s][/s]
Rubbish.

RuudVanNisteroy:

It is now a crime to walk the streets as a youth.

Simplyleo:
[s][/s]
Rubbish.

When did Kingsley Obiukwu become the general name for "youth"?

Simplyleo:
[s][/s]
Rubbish.

Adgideon:
so you are one of them, I thought as much, don't worry the same cane they use in floging a goat will b use in floging a cow

Simplyleo:
[/s]
Rubbish.

Simplyleo:
[s][/s]
Rubbish.

When did Kingsley Obiukwu become the general name for "youth"?

Simplyleo:
[s][/s] Rubbish.
When did Kingsley Obiukwu become the general name for "youth"?

Simplyleo:

Rubbish.

When did Kingsley Obiukwu become the general name for "youth"?

I shouted for help but no one came to my aid.