If not for the quick intervention of a senior police officer and an AirForce personnel, an irate mob would have lynched a female member of the State Anti-Kidnapping Squad in the Ikeja area of Lagos for allegedly beating up and injuring a septuagenarian with the butt of her gun.
The alleged beating by the female police personnel had left the old man with swollen eyes and bleeding from the mouth.
The apparently aggressive female police personnel had also allegedly threatened to shoot anyone who tried to intervene, as she corked her gun and pointed it menacingly at no one in particular.
According to an eye witness, who pleaded anonymity, the incident occurred at about 10pm around Ikeja Underbridge.
As the lady was doing that, she was at the same time threatening to shoot anyone who tried to rescue the old man from her. She corked her gun and aimed at no one in particular, to warn passersby not to come near
He said, “I was alighting from the taxi at Ikeja Underbridge, when a small tricycle drove past us where my vehicle stopped. Inside the tricycle, popularly called Keke Marwa, there was a commotion going on. A female security personnel was seen kicking, slapping and beating up a man old enough to be her father.
“As the lady was doing that, she was at the same time threatening to shoot anyone who tried to rescue the old man from her. She corked her gun and aimed at no one in particular, to warn passersby not to come near.
“She claimed to be working for the Anti-Kidnapping Squad of the Lagos State Police Command, Ikeja. All the people around took to their heels and watched from afar as the lady continued to rough handle the old man.”
Continuing, the eyewitness said, “From the location, where I took shelter for protection, I could see the young woman shouting and explaining that she was coming from Ikeja GRA, where she boarded the tricycle with the old man, who she accused of being an armed robber and hired assassin. She said she was only protecting herself in accordance with the dictates of her police training.
“She threatened that she was ready to kill the old man and nobody would dare hold her accountable for the man’s death because he’s an armed robber and hired assassin.”
As the drama was on, some young men in the area had started to gather together with a view to swooping on the angry female police officer, disarming her and rescuing her ‘victim,’ the old man.
It was at this point that a senior police officer and a top AirForce officer drove to the scene and ordered the angry female police personnel to let go of the old man and leave the scene.
“After about 15 minutes, a car pulled up and directed its headlight at the young police woman, who was still holding her gun menacingly to the old man’s head. A top military officer in company with a senior police officer then alighted. They ordered the lady to release the old man and leave the scene immediately. She did not resist the order as she obeyed and vanished immediately,” he said.
– Joseph Umunna, Ikeja, Lagos.
