gate at the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) between an army officer
and a woman, Mrs Joy Agboghide today.
After the clash, a couple of soldiers physically assaulted the
51-year-old woman identified as Joy Agboghide.
The woman had been instructed by a Major to reverse her car, which
was parked in front of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company, in
order to ease traffic on the narrow road. However, the mother of six
told the officer that she had already allowed five vehicles to go due to
the indiscriminate parking of vehicles on the road. Her response
sparked an argument between herself and the soldier as the army officer
insisted that she must reverse her vehicle.
When the woman refused to yield, the major angrily returned to the
BEDC premises and emerged with more soldiers. He then allegedly
ordered them to beat the woman up.
The woman was reportedly rushed to the Central Hospital in Benin
for treatment after the assault. The woman recounted the incident:
“I went to Lagos Street to get some food items. So, I
passed through Forestry (Lane) to the road beside former NEPA. As I was
going, the driver of the vehicle in front of me and some traders
around told me to stop. I stopped and about four vehicles passed. Later,
the traders told me to go. As I moved on, a soldier told me to reverse
and I explained that I had waited for some vehicles to pass. But he
said, ‘Do you know who you are talking to? Reverse!’ Before I knew it,
he used his gun to hit my windscreen. I came out and asked him what I
had done and he said I should wait. He went into the BEDC premises and
came out with some soldiers who descended on me.”
The woman also stated that the Major had instructed the soldiers to
clear her off the road but she had pulled him before he could leave,
adding that she told him to pay for the damage done to her car.
Agboghide alleged that she was also assaulted by a woman presumed to be
the wife of the officer. “As the man jumped inside his vehicle and
tried to drive off, I hit his windscreen. He came down and damaged my
windscreen and the rear screen. “Suddenly, he came out with a whip and
beat me. The lady inside the vehicle also sprayed tear gas into my
eyes” she stated.
Spokesman for the 4 Brigade Command of the Nigerian Army, Captain
Jonah Unuakhalu addressed the incident and revealed that the officer
involved was not in the Army. “He is a Nigerian Air Force officer. But
we are investigating” he stated.