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| Mrs Joy Agboghide was allegedly beaten for obstructing traffic. |
– The soldiers reportedly beat the woman up for obstructing traffic
– The woman is currently being treated at the central hospital in Benin -An investigation has been launched, as the army has said the suspect is not a member of the army
A woman named, Joy Agboghide has reportedly been assaulted by soldiers for allegedly obstructing traffic. It was gathered that the incident took place at about 4pm on Monday, March 21, along Forestry Lane, Benin, Edo state. It was learnt that the incident occurred at about 4pm in front of the headquarters of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC). Sources claim that an officer, a Major, emerged from the premises of the company and instructed the woman to reverse her vehicle in order to ease traffic on the narrow road.
Agboghide, a mother of six, explained that she had initially allowed about five vehicles to go due to the indiscriminate parking of vehicles on the road. An argument was said to have ensued between the soldier and the 51-year-old woman, after the army officer insisted that she must reverse her vehicle. The major, who was said to have been angered by the development, returned to the BEDC premises. Sources disclose that he later returned with some soldiers said to be attached to the BEDC and allegedly ordered them to beat the woman up. The Punch reports that she was rushed to the Central Hospital in Benin where she received treatment Agboghide, who later spoke to newsmen, said: “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. “He said they should clear me off the road. But as he tried to enter his vehicle, I pulled him and told him to pay for the damage done to my car.” Agboghide alleged that she was also assaulted by a woman said to the wife of the officer. She said: “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.” Spokesman for the 4 Brigade Command of the Nigerian Army, Captain Jonah Unuakhalu, told our correspondent that the officer involved was not in the Army. “He is a Nigerian Air Force officer. But we are investigating,” Unuakhalu said. It would be recalled that soldiers, numbering about 10, used their boots on hundreds of women protesting at Ovre-Eku (Iwevbo) community between Edo and Delta states. According to Vanguard, the protest was held over a land which had been in dispute for years between both states In the same vein, a police officer in Lagos, identified as Aurthur Okeke with ID. No.453255 was accused of assaulting a heavily pregnant woman. Arthur was caught on tape, harassing the pregnant woman. The woman who was reportedly in her 3rd trimester of pregnancy was on a commercial bus in the bar beach area of the state when the police officer dragged her out of the bus, after which he descended on her.
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