Personnel of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, have been accused of assaulting a shop owner, Mrs. Joy Owolabi, in Jos, Plateau state, on Friday, September 2, at the Nanmwa Junction, Abattoir area in Jos South local government area. Living her with bruised eyes and injuries on other parts of her body.
Before the Friday incident, the yet-to-be-identified personnel came to the betting office next to the victim’s shop last month and parked his official motorcycle in front of Mrs. Owolabi’s shop, blocking her entrance. She said she called his attention to re-park the motorcycle but she was allegedly ignored and an argument ensued.
Later that day the personnel returned to the betting shop with his colleague and parked his motorcycle in the similar manner that the woman complained about. The incident led to an exchange of words between him and the shop owner.
Instead of parking his motorcycle properly, the victim and some eyewitnesses alleged he punched the victim, pushed her to the ground, and started flogging her with a wire as neighbors and passersby watch helplessly. None could rescue the woman as the assaulter and his colleague were armed.
Narrating her ordeal, Mrs. Owolabi said people could not rescue her as the NSCDC personnel and his colleague were armed.
“I was in my shop on the 2nd of September, 2022, at about noon, I saw two men in uniform, they were from the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps, they rode into my shop. One stood by the roadside and the second one came to the entrance of my shop.
“They came with an official motorcycle, when the man parked, blocking the entrance of my shop, I went and met him and said please, help me re-park this motorcycle because the way you parked, I cannot enter the shop,”
“My neighbour who is the Manager also came out and saw the way the man parked the motorcycle; he started pleading with the man to re-park it. As we were talking, the man punched me in my left eye and I fell to the ground
“As I was trying to stand up, he punched me in the second eye. He removed the wire and started flogging me. They came in armed so people were afraid of coming to my rescue and when this thing was going on, people were just watching. After flogging me, the two of them left with the motorcycle. When they left, I locked my shop and went to their office which is not far from my shop to report.”
Another shop owner who did not want to be mentioned told the publication; “This is somebody’s wife that this boy beat like an animal because he is wearing a uniform. We were scared of going close for fear of being shot. It appears that the boy is on something, apart from getting justice for the woman, he should be fished out and punished to save the woman in his life. It could be that is the manner he is flogging them at home.”
He appealed that the NSCDC should not sweep the incident under the carpet in the guise of not being able to identify the culprit, saying, “the owner of the shop that he used to enter can help to identify him.”
At the time of this report, the victim was still receiving treatment at a hospital in Jos as she is feeling severe pains all over her body.
It was also gathered that the victim was asked to return on Monday as all personnel on a motorcycle would be present for her to “identify” who assaulted her.
When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the corps in the state, DSC Madaki Longbit said he was not aware of the incident but would find out on Monday.
