In Nigeria, every uniform recognised, even if not backed by law, confers on the wearer an arrogant disposition that repels the public, writes Head, News Desk, VICTOR EBIMOMI.
On Tuesday, August 26, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) officers went berserk at Mile 2, Lagos like wild dogs starved of food.
Police officers’ brutality on another occasion.
It was sheer arrogance fuelled by might intended to degrade their victims.
They fired gunshots into the air. Motorists and passers-by had to scamper for safety amid shrieking.
The Customs officers invaded the Mile 2 office of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) to forcefully release a vehicle impounded around Coconut bus stop on the Apapa-Oshodi expressway for violating traffic law.
Customs officers brutalise LASTMA officials in Lagos
The wine-coloured Honda Pilot Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV), marked LAGOS EKY 521 CZ, was impounded at about 9.15am on that day after the owner, a senior Customs officer, drove against traffic on the chaotic expressway.
Other Customs officers from Apapa Area Command, who came in three patrol vehicles, brutalised the LASTMA officials on getting to their office. Their police colleagues were not spared. Then, the Customs men went on a destruction spree.
No fewer than four vehicles were destroyed along with other government properties valued at millions of naira. No thought was given to the fact that these were bought with tax payers’ money.
A LASTMA official, Musiliu Edu, and a police Corporal, Saliu Isiaka, were battered for trying to record the wild act with their camera phones. The phones were later seized at gunpoint.
Wensu Idowu, also an official of LASTMA, was hit in the mouth with the butt of a gun. He was taken to hospital.
It took the intervention of officers from Festac police division to bring the matter under control.
The policemen from Festac decided to take the matter to their office for possible settlement but the Customs officers escaped on the way, leaving behind a patrol vehicle and the name tag of Audu, AA, one of their men.
LASTMA Zonal Head, Victor Adeyanju, said the Customs officers, all in uniform, demanded unconditional release of the SUV but LASTMA officials told them to follow procedure.
“This angered the Customs officers, causing them to intensify the beating and dragging of our men on the floor with the threat not to leave the premises without the impounded vehicle,” he recounted.
This is a common occurrence in Nigeria.
Soldier fires gunshot at judge in Kaduna
On the same day that the Customs officers abused their uniform in Lagos, a soldier nearly killed a High Court Judge, Hajara Gwadah, and her son, Saminu Gwadah, on their way to church in Kaduna.
Her husband, Bitrus, former legal adviser of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), narrated: “This Sunday morning, just a little past 9am, August 31, 2014, my wife and son were shot at by a soldier in full Nigerian army fatigues, at the junction of Ali Akilu and Alkali roads by SCOA, in Kaduna metropolis, Kaduna State.
“My wife, Justice Hajara Gwadah and son, Saminu Gwadah, were on their way to church.
“My son was driving, and in front was a civilian car which was itself following a jeep/Toyota Hilux full of armed army personnel. My son, as were the two vehicles in front of him, was slowing down for traffic control.
“Suddenly, he saw a soldier in the open jeep, which was beginning to turn into Alkali road, cock his gun and shoot at him.
“Thoroughly shaken, he guided the car to the side, missing a few collisions to his right. They noticed smoke from the bonnet of their car.
“At the same time, the vehicle carrying the soldiers had parked on Alkali road and two armed soldiers in battle mode approached them and shouted: ‘You were too close! Don’t try it again.’ Then they went back to their jeep and drove off.”
The bullet damaged the radiator of the car, the compressor, part of the engine block, and a few soft parts.
Bravado, extortion around Kirikiri
Regular travellers on the Apapa-Oshodi expressway, especially around the bend at Maritime House leading to Kirikiri town and those who ply Kirikiri road, have different tales of abuse of power by the men in uniform.
TheNiche has on several occasions seen naval personnel going to their base in Navy town turn these routes into scary scenes.
There, a naval officer once brutalised a motorist for allegedly not giving him the right of way in traffic gridlock that made swerving impossible.
On another occasion, a naval vehicle hit the car of a civilian from the rear. Naval officers beat up the ‘bloody’ civilian rather than apologise to him.
The victim recalled: “When the vehicle hit me from behind, I did not bother because I knew the impact was not serious. Neither did I know that the occupiers were navy men. I was just going until I got to some metres away and the vehicle double-crossed me.
“The naval officers started claiming right; they slapped me and collected N3,000 from me to repair the front light of their vehicle.”
The same intimidating scenario plays out frequently at the Maritime House bend, but it is not limited to one service arm. Everyone in uniform – police, Civil Defence Corps, Customs, and others – harass motorists.
However, it appears the police, Customs, and the army hold the ace.
In December 2013, Customs officers driving against traffic after Otto Wharf around Mile 2 descended on a motorist for failing to give them passage in time.
Three of them, fully armed, alighted from their vehicle and beat the man into stupor, saying “we will teach you people lesson that we are in control.”
Impersonators weigh in, too
Others who impersonate service men also use fake uniforms and vehicle stickers to terrorise fellow Nigerians. One incident happened in May this year on Mobil Road Apapa, Lagos.
The motorists were in a haste. Avoiding the traffic gridlock that characterises the road in the evening was uppermost in their minds. They tried to out-manvouvre one another, as in motor racing.
Suddenly, a blue-coloured Toyota Camry side-swapped a commercial bus, popularly known as Danfo, in an attempt to overtake it. It then screeched to a halt – a minor scratch has occurred.
The driver of the Camry; a stout man, about five foot tall, and dressed in mufti; alighted. Swiftly, he slapped the driver of the Danfo on the face and at the same time tried to drag him out of the bus.
The man tried to put up resistance, but sighting the navy sticker on the windscreen of his tormentor’s car, he cringed.
Reluctantly, he surrendered to be dragged out of his bus. The “naval officer” increased his anger and battered him all over, shouting, “I will kill you; I will kill you, bloody civilian.”
Onlookers who could not bear it intervened. “Officer, please forgive him; don’t be annoyed,” they pleaded. He would not lend them his ears.
Other motorists became agitated as traffic built up; they hooted their horns.
Genuine soldier takes on fake naval guy
After about 30 minutes of cacophony, a man in an army vest and face cap appeared and barked at the bully, querying why he was so insensitive to the plight of others by causing traffic jam.
The soldier was boiling with rage, which he betrayed in his voice. He did not notice the sticker on the Camry.
Sensing danger, the bully, who had been boasting that he was a naval officer, quickly beat a retreat. Without uttering a word or identifying himself, he headed towards his car.
But the soldier would not let go; he gave him a kick on the buttocks. The bully murmured, and that provoked the soldier the more; he charged at him again up to his vehicle.
On getting near the Camry, the soldier sighted a naval sticker on it, which aroused his curiosity and suspicion.
He demanded his naval officer identity card. The bravado of the supposed naval man melted, his countenance changed, he became jittery. The onlookers jeered, “Identify yourself, identify yourself now.”
The man had nothing to identify himself. He was only hiding under the cover of the sticker on his car to project himself as an officer of the Nigerian navy. So as not to cause more traffic hold up, the soldier removed the sticker from the Camry and let the impersonator go.
Pasting the stickers of servicemen, particularly of the military and the police, on the windscreen of vehicles is common. Every serviceman or woman who has a moving object, including a motorcycle, displays the sticker on it conspicuously.
The reason is beyond mere identity. It gives them undue advantage wherever they go. Because civilians see the stickers as personalising the car driver or motorcycle rider, they avoid any face-off with them, even when the civilians are on their right.
Service personnel car stickers on sale
Investigation by TheNiche showed that there is a scramble by non-service persons to get a sticker pasted on their vehicles. And those who have it invoke its power at the slightest provocation.
Getting the sticker is as easy as buying popcorn on the roadside. Some service personnel allegedly sell it to their friends or a willing buyer for as low as N500. “You can always get it if you need it,” a source close to the police disclosed.
Attempts by TheNiche to get clarification on those entitled to such stickers from Lagos police command met a brick wall.
Three hours of waiting in the office of Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, did not elicit her response. Telephone calls to her before press time did not get through.
Also, calls to Western Naval Command spokesman, Lieutenant Commander Olabisi Wey, could not get through.
Customs condemns, probes attack
However, NCS Comptroller General, Dikko Abdullahi, has ordered an investigation into the incident at Mile 2.
A statement issued on August 31 by NCS Public Relations Officer, Wale Adeniyi, said Abbdullahi condemned the attack on LASTMA officials and sympathised with those who suffered injuries or embarrassment.
“It is worrisome to us that the barbaric action was said to have been perpetrated by officers wearing Customs uniform in official vehicle. This act is not permissible under our laws and therefore will not be tolerated.
“We believe that efforts geared towards ensuring sanity on our roads will reduce accidents and impact positively on trade facilitation,” the statement added.
“[Abbdullahi] has directed that all the officers and men involved in the shameful act be placed on standby while a thorough investigation to determine their culpability has already commenced.
“Any officer found guilty will be dealt with decisively in accordance with the Preventive Service’s regulations.
“For the avoidance of doubt the NCS wishes to assure the Lagos State Government, officials of LASTMA in particular, and people of goodwill that the Service will not gloss over this but will do all it takes to ensure that the rights of people who are performing their statutory functions are protected.”
