Army GOC Batters Truck Driver, Impounds Truck


In what appears a throw-back to the Chioma Okere-Nigerian Navy assault and battery saga, a truck driver, Felix Nkemdilim, was last Friday brutally assaulted at Tin Can Island Port, Lagos, by armed soldiers allegedly on the orders of General Officer Commanding (GOC) Commanding 81 Division, Major General Keneth Minimah.

Minimah, who survived last month’s shake-up in the Army, is one of the officers favoured to take over from Lt. General Azubuike Ihejirika as Chief of Army Staff later in the year, when the later moves over as Chief of Defence Staff.

Witnesses told Pointblanknews.com that trouble began for Felix, a truck driver, when his MAN truck accidentally hit  an American-used unregistered Chrysler 300 car ostensibly just cleared from the port for General Minimah.

According to the witnesses, no sooner had the truck grazed the General’s car than the soldier-driver and his colleague pounced on Felix, giving him a thorough beating.

The soldiers thereafter reportedly put a call through to their boss and hordes of soldiers stormed the port causing pandemonium.

The truck driver was consequently whisked away and has not been seen or contacted since then. A colleague-driver  of Felix who did not want to be mentioned, said he overheard the soldiers talking about Obalende barracks.

He told Pointblanknews.com that the soldiers towed away the MAN truck, amidst curse words for Felix and Good Samaritans who attempted to intervene.

He claimed that the agitated soldiers freely used such words as “bloody civilian, bagger and idiot” on Felix, as they hauled him in their truck.

The hapless driver’s wife and family have reportedly been unable to see him let alone know his condition. Military sources, however confirmed that he was being detained in the guardroom, a detention facility for erring soldiers.

Attempts to get General Minimah’s side of the story were unsuccessful as he did not respond to calls and text messages.

The Nigerian military is loathed by the public partly for the decades they clung to power and their scanty respect for human rights.

A few years ago, a Lagos High Court ordered the Nigerian Navy to pay N100 million as compensation for the assault meted on a certain Chioma Okere by Naval Ratings attached to their Flag Officer.

There have been several reported cases of deaths stemming from military brutality, particularly in Lagos.

Recently, the state governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola arrested an Army Colonel for driving against traffic in broad daylight.

Ironically, the same Minimah recently court- martialled several Army officers for driving on BRT lanes.

Army Chief General Ihejierika has constantly urged men and officers of the Nigerian Army to obey democratic tenets and submit selves to the rule of law.

http://pointblanknews.com/pbn/exclusive/army-goc-batters-truck-driver-impounds-truck/

I just hate soldiers........ Can't help it
Some people say they're nothing but armed-uniformed beasts

That is army for you.

cowards.....swarm of iliterates in uniform. they should learn from americans who are ever battle ready and yet level headed.

even some of this truck drivers always drive as if the own the road,maybe today nemesis just caught u with him.

Why can't this GOC go to Maiduguri and batter Boko H?

i wish this is the general fashola arrested maybe he might have shot fashola just thinking, the wisdom is to be careful with soldiers. in seria the fear of sodier is th beginning of wisdom.

excondido: cowards.....swarm of iliterates in uniform. they should learn from americans who are ever battle ready and yet level headed.

Our soldiers can be anything but coward. They're the best fighting msachines in Africa.
American soldiers are not necessarily better than ours, they're more equipped.
I don't support the violence though.

IF SOULDIER SLAP YOU NA THAT TIME YOU GO KNOW SAY POLICE NA YOUR FWEND.

vislabraye:

Our soldiers can be anything but coward. They're the best fighting msachines in Africa.
American soldiers are not necessarily better than ours, they're more equipped.
I don't support the violence though.

Best fighting machines in Africa indeed. MTCHEeeeeew!!

That is nigeria where anytin is possible......nigeria will hail thee....av once been a scape goat...my baby boy was destroyed...but i believe by nw...they must av been reaping wht dey av sowed....beast of no nation...poor army

I pity the guy can't imagine how the army 'll brutalised him.

Anarchy state øf naija...am nt suprise cox things worst than this issue nøw normally happens evriday in øur precious country... Is dis truely d kind of life we all would wnt øur future generations to experience!

AjanleKoko: Why can't this GOC go to Maiduguri and batter Boko H?

WORD!

excondido: cowards.....swarm of iliterates in uniform. they should learn from americans who are ever battle ready and yet level headed.

For real. You said the truth. It's a pity the kind of officers we have in this country. Our security officers should be more refined and re-educated as most lack discipline.

Just a lawless society with no regard for human rights. Pity a poor man guys

U GUYS DONT KNOW WHAT THESE TRUCK DRIVERS ARE CAPABLE OF DOING..I WORK AT THE PORT AND I WORK WITH THE THESE DRIVERS.MOST OF THEM ARE RECKLESS AND VERY STUBBORN,THEY ACT DELIBERATELY THINKING THERES NOTHING ANYONE CAN DO

That is one thin abt 9ja.doz suppozd to protect us 4rm harm are d 1s bringing harm upon us...'bloody soldiers,militants in army uniform'

Good for him. If it wasn't a military officer's car I'm sure the driver will be claiming right and Insulting the offended owner. Nigerians are so indiciplined and need iron handed approch!

We are in a democracy this military boys. Who knows where they detained the truck driver.

Unlike the case of chioma okere whom her dad was a retired colonel , if that poor driver dies in their custody, they would all go free.

God save us in this country.

Point of correction! She is Uzoma Okere and not Chioma Okere.
@post,these army people should know we are not in a military regime.beating up the poor dude is uncalled for.what happens to his family who haven't heard from him.this is so sad.

malc619: I just hate soldiers........ Can't help it
Some people say they're nothing but armed-uniformed beasts

i hear you...yet some of you idiots will run to them for protection

When Governor Fashola arrested an Army Colonel for driving against traffic in broad daylight in Lagos just few weeks ago, a lot of guys here on NL said a lot of bulls**t about him not respecting the army bla bla bla. Now, what do you all say about this? Are these the kind of people you show respect to?

kennytidistar: i wish this is the general fashola arrested maybe he might have shot fashola just thinking, the wisdom is to be careful with soldiers. in seria the fear of sodier is th beginning of wisdom.

beginning of wisdom indid. 4uk out joh

[size=16pt]still wondering which part of nigeria's law gives soldiers / police to assault anybody that offends them[/size]

Pleas guys look at the timing of the story

Itohen: Army GOC Batters Truck Driver, Impounds Truck
Minimah, who survived last month’s shake-up in the Army, is one of the officers favoured to take over from Lt. General Azubuike Ihejirika as Chief of Army Staff later in the year, when the later moves over as Chief of Defence Staff.

Attempts to get General Minimah’s side of the story were unsuccessful as he did not respond to calls and text messages.

/

i am not defending the man but methinks its all about who succeeds (or not) Ihejirika

For real. You said the truth. It's a pity the kind of officers we have in this country. Our security officers should be more refined and re-educated as most lack discipline.

vislabraye:

Our soldiers can be anything but coward. They're the best fighting msachines in Africa.
American soldiers are not necessarily better than ours, they're more equipped.
I don't support the violence though.

Absolute drivel! Most of our soldiers are nothing but thugs in uniform. One more thing, Nigerian soldiers are inferior to American soldiers in discipline and professionalism, period. We don't even need to talk about weaponry.

There training are too harsh

The soldiers may have gone to the extreme and shldnt be supported. However there are always two sides of the story.
May be some of you don't know how reckless these truck drivers are. If they hit you, you would feel like cursing them. If they hit a car driven by a woman, they'll chance her.
Many of the go slow in Lagos is caused by their recklessness. They can be very careless.
Soldiers can be very civilized. Hardly do you see them (xcept some cases ) brutalizing people except provoked

The Nigerian military is clueless, violating human right is the order. The Nigerian military is a total reflection of Nigerian bad economy.