Holla readers and fellow bloggers, how was your day, mine has been hectic, one of the things that comes along with being a student. it is another weakly featured content titled "absence of right"by hive learners community
As a Nigerian, the concept of human right lies on the amount of influence and power you have in the society, an average man has no right in the country I'm from, the law is considered a weapon of the elite, at one point or other every Nigerian has experienced police brutality
The angle in which I will navigate this topic without getting emotional about it seems impossible, the ability to chose one from many injustice I have suffered is not possible either, instead I will narrate two different scenarios that my right as a citizen was violated.
FIRST SCENARIO
This happened about 2 years ago during my industrial training at Duncan maritime limited at Adeniyi jones, I was informed by my parent about the urgent need to come home, immediately after I got the information, I took my bag and I headed home. on getting to ketu I took a car going to igbogbo, at that time petrol price was so expensive, so we sat down 4 on a row, which was extremely inconvenient for the passengers despite the outbreak of the corona virus which the bus driver shows no concern. the bus moved until we got to along Ebute, so one passenger dropped, the passengers sitting on that row were happy that the sit will become more convenient for them but that was not the case."
The driver insisted on carrying another passenger to sit down on that same row but the passenger protested, the argument became so heated that they exchange words, the driver said some unpleasant words to a passenger and the passenger got upset and hit the driver by the shoulder.
We quickly intervened to avoid the conflict from escalating, the driver got back inside the car and continued driving, when we got to ebute, the driver suddenly parked in front of a police station, from my calculation I believe he must have called them while in the car, on getting to the police station we saw two police officers outside waiting for the bus, immediately the man got close to the gate, the police station gate was opened and the driver drove in.
It was like film trick, the driver got down and pointed to the passenger that touched him and others that argued with him which I was among, we were asked to get out of the car and one of the police men lead the way into the police station, about 8 of us.
On our way into the police station, I noticed the driver handed over some money to the police officer that was behind us, so I knew something was wrong, immediately getting to police station we were asked to sit on a cemented flat surface that looks like a chair, after we sat down, the DPO came outside and asked the driver to narrate what happened, from his narration "He said we all gathered around him and beat him", immediately the DPO heard that she was not willing to hear our side of the story and asked them take us into the "cell".
The moment I heard that, I could not keep quiet anymore because I realised we were being accused of what we did not do, I brought out my "BEMIL" ID CARD. BEMIL is a paramilitary security company located at ojodu begger and at some point I worked as a patrol officer at BEMIL. immediately I brought out the ID CARD they felt a little frightened, knowing that I'm not just anybody despite the fact that the ID card was outdated.
They left me alone and took the others into the cell by force, I was trying to explain to them that what the man said was a lie, they did not listen, they just took me outside the gate and I couldn't say much because I knew my ID card is for appearance only, I no longer work at BEMIL.
I just have to leave but I kept on thinking about what will happen to those people that were wrongfully accused of a crime they didn't commit, though I was glad I made it out because if were not for the BEMIL ID card I would have been taken into the cell also. I was so pissed but the law is for those with influence and those with connections, this I understood very well.
SECOND SCENARIO
This happened some days after the Lekki toll gate massacre, I was staying at Opebi estate. after the Lekki toll gate event things went wrong and we have a lot civilians on the street vandalising traffic light and other state equipment, so a lock down was initiated which people were authorised not to leave there homes.
The Opebi estate gate was closed, so we sat down in the front of the building, the estate is not too far from our building we could see somethings through the gate. some boys were outside the gate parading, few minutes later, this police jeep parked in front of the gate, the boys ran inside, it was written boldly on the car " area F command" which is a police district at Ikeja.
The police men in the Jeep were not wearing uniforms, they took out their guns and sprayed some bullet into the air but that wasn't all, for no reason they face the gate with their guns and spray some round of bullets, it was a narrow escape for those of us staying in front of our building, we crawled inside our building trying to dodge bullets, though no one got hit by the bullets sprayed but some people got injured from running into things.
The next day, Opebi estate chairman took some of the representatives in the estate and went to area F command police station at Ikeja, according to what I heard they denied the fact that it wasn't there police jeep and police men that we saw, they asked us for facial evidence of the crime committed, just imagine, who would have stayed around to take pictures while bullet was flying around.
The case eventually died down and the police men where not held accountable for their actions. I just kept thinking what if the bullet hit somebody, that person would have died and no one will be held accountable, by the hands of those who were meant to protect us.
This is just few cases among Many more I have experienced but I'm just glad I made it out of the two scenarios. I wish for a day were police brutality will be eradicated in our society because a lot of people have been hurt and killed by the same people who were meant to keep us safe.
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