by Adebayo Emuleomo, Y!
A video showing some soldiers of the Nigerian Army battering a Lagos-based lawyer at 7th Avenue, FESTAC Town, Lagos State, has emerged.
With the wave of violence spreading across the country, soldiers would do well to inspire a sense of safety in the citizens rather than exhibit the savagery of the menace they are supposed to fight against.
On Thursday, April 28 Olajide Sipe was beaten and tortured by some soldiers for advising them to stop causing traffic gridlock after they stopped a bus on the busy road.
Olajide had reportedly advised the soldiers to instruct the stopped bus to park on the side of the road so that other vehicles can move freely without a traffic gridlock building up.
The soldiers however, took this as an insult and proceeded to smash his windscreen and headlights while moving menacingly towards him.
Olajide sensing danger looming, got into his car and sped away but he was not going to go far as he was chased and caught up with and beaten into a coma by the rampaging soldiers.
Speaking on the attack, Olajide said “I went to buy bottles of water for my family and on my way back, I got to Mobil Filling Station and I discovered there was traffic, which was caused by a bus on the road.”
“A solider stood in front of the bus and was telling the driver something. I was in my car when I advised him that he could have asked the driver to park by the roadside, instead of inconveniencing other road users.”
“He asked who I was to advise him. I told him I was only trying to give a solution, but he started drawing closer to me with his gun. I was alarmed.”
“Another officer stood at the front of my car and started kicking one of its headlights. He had a jerrycan in his hand with which he smashed my windscreen. As I drove off, I saw that they had become four and had mounted a motorcycle and were chasing me. I was afraid.”
“When I got to 7th Avenue, I made a U-turn, but because they were coming with speed, they couldn’t do that. I looked back and saw one of the soldiers, kneeling down and aiming his gun at me. He shot at my car twice. The bullets deflated the two back tyres.”