Soldiers stationed at the Kugbo checkpoint on Thursday, January 14, 2021, beat up five personnel of the Federal Capital Territory , FCT, Directorate of Road Traffic Services, DRTS, popularly called VIO for impounding a vehicle belonging to their senior colleague.
The incident took place at about 2:15pm when the DRTS officers resumed work for afternoon traffic control.
Unknown to the DRTS operatives, the senior army officer had lodged a complaint to the Guards Bridge unit stationed at Kugbo opposite the mechanic village that his car had been impounded by the Nyanya Command of DRTS.
The driver of the impounded vehicle, a grey coloured Toyota Sienna bus with Lagos registration number APP 729 DD, who admitted to not having a valid driver’s licence, had warned the VIO officers not to arrest the vehicle because it belonged to a military colonel.
The VIO personnel were unaware the military officers had waited patiently for them knowing they would carry out evening operation close to their location.
They had barely settled down for operation when the hefty soldiers pounced from all directions, beating them mercilessly.
Unknown to the soldiers, the VIO officers were not the ones who impounded their superior’s vehicle.
The VIO officers scampered into nearby hills and bushes for their lives.
The beating of the VIO personnel however attracted cheers from motorists, who decried their high handedness while others simply gathered and watched the drama.
When contacted, the chairman of the FCT Ministerial task team on traffic management, Ikharo Attah, said: “When I heard of it, I called the Kugbo DRTS Area Commander, Mr. Walter.
“He said the soldiers had mistaken his men for those in Nyanya who arrested their colleagues.
“He was bitter because he had intervened in the matter when he heard of the impounding of the soldier’s vehicle.
Attah added: “While I cannot make a categorical statement on the matter now, I can assure you that we would reach out to the military on the matter.
“What I can say clearly is that the military had been very supportive of the FCT Administration in traffic management and other key areas of city management and security”.
All efforts to speak with Sagir Musa, the Army Public Relations, on the incident were futile as he did not pick his calls.
Source: The Nation
