Soldiers Batter Okada Man

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For daring to ask for a rider’s permit from an unidentified soldier on a motorcycle in Obalende, an  official of the Motorcycle Operators Association Of Lagos State, MOALS, Eti-Osa unit, Ikoyi, Lucky  Ojo, is now in hospital receiving treatment from the battering he received from the soldier and his  colleagues.

Irked by the effrontery of the MOALS official to demand for his permit to operate a commercial  motorcycle popularly called Okada, the enraged soldier in a plain clothe, pounced on him after  dropping off his passenger and pumelled him to a pulp, assisted by two other colleagues around the  Obalende Bus Stop.

Witnesses at the scene disclosed that the soldier slapped the official and when he protested the  assault, the soldier invited two of his colleagues around to help him deal with the Okada official.

The soldier was later arrested by military police personnel from Dodan Barracks following a distress  call from colleagues of the victim. The other two soldiers escaped on sighting the military personnel.

Narrating his ordeal to P.M.NEWS, the victim said: ”I approached the Okada man (soldier) to show me  his motorcycle operation rider’s card because he was dropping off a passenger. Instead of identifying  himself, he barked at me, saying ‘are you mad, don’t you know that I am a soldier.’  Before I could  utter a word, he alighted from his motorcycle and slapped me twice. I did not retaliate and he drove  off only for him to come back with two others. They descended on me and used their iron belts to beat  me. They inflicted injuries all over my head and body.

“I thank the military police for their quick response, otherwise, they would have killed me.”

An attempt to talk with the accused at Dodan Barracks was rebuffed by the authorities but a source  confirmed that the accused has been locked up in a guardroom and will soon be handed over to the  police for necessary action.

Principal officer to the Chairman of MOALS, Ikoyi-Obalende chapter, Mr. Peter Ayodele, described the  action of the soldier as a surprise.

”We are partners in progress with the Nigerian Army and the Police and the soldiers at Dodan Barracks  are very disciplined and responsible.

”But this soldier who assaulted our official was not in uniform and he did not identify himself while  dropping off a passenger. That is why my official asked him of his rider’s card,” he stated.

—Paul Iyoghojie

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