Posted by By CLEMENT ADEYI on
A distributor of Dangote Cement and Sugar, Mr. Samson Afam Ibekwe has petitioned the authorities of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMAS) and the Lagos police command alleging that men of the LASTMA allegedly kidnapped, tortured, drove away his bus and in the process lost his N1.7 cash he just withdrew from the bank some hours before the incident.
A distributor of Dangote Cement and Sugar, Mr. Samson Afam Ibekwe has petitioned the authorities of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMAS) and the Lagos police command alleging that men of the LASTMA allegedly kidnapped, tortured, drove away his bus and in the process lost his N1.7 cash he just withdrew from the bank some hours before the incident.
Ibekwe in his petition filed by his counsel claimed that the money was in the bus LASTMA men wrested from him after serious battery, torture and manhandling allegedly by the mobile policeman attached to the team of seven operatives.
The mobile policeman identified as Godfrey Okechukwu on Wednesday eve allegedly accosted the transporter and distributor, manhandled him and drove away his Toyota Hiace bus containing N1.7million and other vital documents to their office in Mile 2, Lagos.
According to Ibekwe, the Managing Director and CEO of Safam Tina Ventures Nigeria Limited, Ebute Metta, Lagos, the incident occurred at Sanya Mile 2 Expressway where he had gone to buy the back of a truck for his business. While narrating his experience to Saturday Sun, Ibekwe alleged that he withdrew N1.7 million from the Creek Road branch of Zenith Bank about 4.30pm on Wednesday to buy the truck when he was accosted by the LASTMA men in front of the outfit as soon as he parked his vehicle to pay for the truck.
Ibekwe added that the officers ordered him and his transport manager, Sunday as well as one of his brothers, Obiora out of the bus and immediately, Godfrey Okechukwu, a mobile policeman used tear gas on them, and hit Sunday in the head with his gun butt, an impact that inflicted a deep cut on his head and profuse bleeding. He said that all pleas by the other LASTMA officers to leave them along fell on deaf ears until Okechukwu drove away the bus alone while the LASTMA men joined him later in their LASTMA pick-up.
The distributor also stated that he and his men went to Festac Police station and reported the matter where they were assigned an anti-robbery police officer who traced the accused LASTMA officers to their office in Mile 2 where they later saw the men and the bus but the N1.7m and other items in the bus with the number FCT EZ 164 ABC were missing.
Saturday Sun's investigations at the Mile 2 LASTMA office revealed that the bus, which was also vandalised was later taken to the Oshodi LASTMA office on Wednesday night.
When Saturday Sun got to the LASTMA office in Oshodi, the officer who led the team, Peter G. I. fondly called Serial Oscar, (an inscription boldly emblazoned on the door to his office) confirmed the incident, alleging that Ibekwe and his men drove against traffic rule, adding that the matter had already been reported at Alausa Police station.
Another senior police officer, Mr. Jaidi attached to LASTMA promised that the matter would be properly investigated.
All the interactions with policemen and the LASTMA officials to unravel the facts of the saga was done without the identity of the journalist revealed as he just tagged along with Ibekwe's counsel and others.
Saturday Sun's efforts to reach and speak with the mobile policeman in the centre of the saga was unfruitful as he was said to be unavailable.