Soldiers Beat Up 51-Year Old Woman In Benin, Now Hospitalized

Soldiers on Monday assaulted a motorist, Joy Agboghide, for
allegedly obstructing traffic  on
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.

It was learnt that an officer, a Major, was  said to have 
emerged from the premises of the 
company and instructed the woman to reverse her vehicle in order to ease
traffic on the narrow road.

Sources said 
Agboghide, a mother of six, however, 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.

 The source said he
later returned with  some soldiers said to
be attached to the BEDC and allegedly ordered them to beat the woman up.

She was said to have been rushed to the Central Hospital in
Benin where she is receiving treatment as of the time of filing this report.

Agboghide, who later spoke to our correspondent, 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 be 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.”

Source