Luke Gum, an Uber driver in his middle years, has been demanding justice after he claims that members of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission physically assaulted him over a traffic violation in Lagos State’s Ikoyi neighborhood.
According to information obtained by reporters, Gum, a cab driver operating in the Ikoyi area, had the rear of his car dented on Monday by the driver of a vehicle thought to be owned by a high-ranking anti-graft agency officer.
Speaking with reporters, Gum claimed that after getting out of the vehicle, the driver insulted him even though it was clear that his (Gum’s) automobile had sustained some damage.
“I was even the one who wanted to take the matter to the police station before her driver, and she (the official) stopped me from going,” the man stated. Ten EFCC officers arrived with a bus after the woman placed a call, and they had me enter. While another official continued to strike me with the butt of his rifle from Awolowo Road to their office, one of the authorities punched me in the neck. They instructed me to sit on the floor when we eventually made it to their office. Since I hadn’t broken any laws, I didn’t instantly comply. One of them kicked my leg with his boot when he saw I wouldn’t sit on the floor, and I collapsed.
The madam then went on to tell her other coworkers that I was attempting to fight her and that her driver had physically assaulted me, which is why she had to phone the office.
Gum claimed he had been in custody for more than three hours and that the authorities had driven him to the police station in Onikan, where he had been directed just to acquire brake oil to wipe the area where the EFCC official’s car had been slightly brushed and was not permitted to give any statements.
The EFCC spokesperson, Mr. Dele Oyewale, denied that Gum was physically assaulted by anti-graft agency officers on Tuesday, saying instead that the altercation occurred between Gum and the official’s driver.
“Along the line, he brushed our officer’s official car,” Oyewale stated. And it was the car’s driver, not our cop, who got out to confront him. A fight broke out between the two of them.
The altercation resulted in injuries for both of them. Additionally, they did not mistreat him when they brought him to the office. They just took him to the office so our officer could be dropped off by the driver. And after that, they proceeded to the police station. The same officer who requested that they release him was the one who opposed their desire to hold him.
Onikan Police Division’s Divisional Crime Officer, simply known as Mr. Adesanya, was unavailable for comment on either Wednesday or Friday due to his cell phone ringing.