A commercial bus driver, Arowosaye Taofeeq, has demanded justice after claiming that personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps brutalized him in the border town between Rivers and Imo states.
According to City Round, Taofeeq was transporting passengers from Port Harcourt to Asaba in Delta State when he came across NSCDS personnel at Omerelu in Rivers State’s Ikwerre Local Government Area.
The driver was about to cross a checkpoint set up by the NSCDC when his car was attacked by a boy dressed in mufti who was apparently known to the corps.
According to the report, Taofeeq alighted to ask the boy why he hit his vehicle being a two-lane road.
He said, “The boy asked me if I was challenging him, accusing him of taking the wrong route. He started hitting me with a stick. As I was about to hold him, the NSCDC men in uniform came and started beating me. I asked them what my offence was and they handcuffed me and used sticks to beat me.
“They broke my finger. It was some passersby and passengers who intervened and asked them what my offence was before they removed the handcuff on me.
“I have pains all over. My head is swollen and parts of my body are hurting. As I speak with you, I am not feeling well. I refunded my passengers their money because I couldn’t continue the journey because of injuries and pains. I want them to investigate the matter and, for justice take its course,” he stated.
Taofeeq said he spoke with the spokesman for the NSCDC, Rivers State Command, who asked him to narrate what happened and promised to get back to him afterwards.
Contacted, the spokesman for the NSCDC, Rivers State Command, Olufemi Ayodele, in a text message said an investigation was ongoing to unravel the identities of the operatives and their command.
“Investigation is ongoing to ascertain the identity of the personnel at the border and the command they are domiciled with,” Ayodele stated.