And I was publicly embarrassed by the police officers at iwo road today. @NPF @IG @AIG
Minister of communication technology, incubators, top ICT firms, Can you just come to our rescue please.
Please can you just orientate NPF about the usefulness of devices (laptops or smart phones). Make those old bunch of illiterates understand it goes beyond using them for yahoo yahoo.
Full article below :
After battling with malaria for days, getting set for aiki's conference in Lagos tomorrow. I had to quickly rush to the office to clear some to-dos. I initially wanted to go in my short combat, just my ATM with no ID. because it was late already (around 4pm). And I didn't want to go with a wallet nor a side bag respectively.
I changed my mind because I felt it wouldn't be good walking around without my diary, and my devices. I left the laptop at home because It wasn't needed.
On my way coming back home, at iwo-road were the police officers in their vehicle. Immediately I passed their vehicle, they drove after me, for a reason i wouldn't know.
The guy driving the vehicle nearly drove me to the drainage system. I was asked "Hello gentle man, may we know you" I was shocked because I wasn't expecting such, I answered with a smile. Then one of them asked for my ID, I showed my school ID, the other asked where I was coming from and where I was going to "Coming from office, rushing home because I need to take my drugs asap"
Another set of questions came in "what do you do, where do you work ”
The one sitting at the back of the hilux vehicle came down with a gun, he snatched my laptop bag, and started offloading it. Unfortunately for him, he met no laptop. But my jacket, diary, and my ATM cards.
He asked "where is your phone, don't you have a phone " A lot of people were at distance watching us because they already created a scene. I took out my phone and gave them. The one driving tried unlocking the phone, which was unlocked with my finger print or passkey.
He asked me to unlock the phone "I asked for the reason why, and he responded "are you saying I can't ask you to do anything" , I collected the phone and unlocked it.
He started checking my last dialed contacts, my phone messages, my gallery, then lastly my email account.
Then he screamed "No wonder you don't want to unlock the phone, Oga this boy is a criminal, he will need to follow us to the station"
I giggled, and asked "for what reason sir " and he responded "there are lot of you guys out there, why is your email address not the same as your real name and why is your last received message from a white name "James Russell" . And I responded, the email you are seeing is an official email, and I have never read or signed any form of document that I would not have any international transaction when I was incorporating my company with the CAC. "so I am going to pretend as if I don't know where are going "
He said angrily, "so you know law right?, you want to be teaching me my job right " and I smiled and responded, "of course not, I am only trying to let you know I haven't done anything that warrants you to call me a criminal"
"enter this vehicle now, else I do it my way "
I was annoyed at that point and I told them, they have no right to arrest me without an offence or a warrant. Their boss said "when you get to the station, you are going to explain yourself. "
That got me pissed, because with the statements they were making, they watered the scene already and a lot People started watching us. And I responded
"I owe you nothing, neither have I done anything wrong, and if that's how you want it to be, I am not leaving here nor answering any more question without the presence of my lawyer"
He responded "okay, that's fine, I will let you sleep behind the bar for days" you are going to beg for forgiveness.
And I responded "only if I am guilty" come on, I am going to pretend as If I don't know what you want until you ask for you can't drag issues with me because I am 100% innocent. Tell me those things you are charging me for? I entered their vehicle and they drove me to the other junction. And started talking about the yahoo boys they arrested over night and the amount they paid to bail themselves. I responded "if you had known you wouldnt have arrested me, because you are just wasting your time, I am not a yahoo boy, okay? And even if I have that kind of money, I would rather take it to the motherless home than to give you guys" He responded "it's like you want me to deal with you, Oga Lets lock this idiot up" I asked "okay what exactly do you want from me. " they couldnt give a straight answer.. Then I wrapped 300 naira and gave to him He said "this is beyond that kind of money.... Blah blah blah. " I laughed and answered "it's like you don't want to drink beer tonight. " he took the money from me and gave me my phone. I had given them the money because; I knew there is no how, they would change the story at their office and frame me for something else. Maybe murder or such. I have the ID of the officers involved, their names, cloth ID, vehicle number. But I just pity their wives, children or parents at home if they have one. I could easily ruin their career in a week because I am sure you all have one or two experiences too and we know the right place to channel such information. Not at their base which consist of corrupted birds of same feather. This is my second experience in less than 3months, can't we walk with phones and laptop again? Please kindly share until it gets to the right channel. * We are just set of entrepreneurs trying hardly to provide solution to problems the government has refused to take responsibility of. * Not all the guys you see around with their devices are into one fraudulent business or the other. * And enough of all these public harassments. Long live the country.
|