Some Nigerian Navy officials last Friday allegedly
assaulted officers of the Traffic Compliance and Enforcement in Ogun State.PUNCH Metro learnt that the officials attached to
the Naval School of Music in Sango Ota area of the state also vandalised
properties at the corps’ Ado-Odo Ota Zonal office.
Our correspondent learnt that the incident began after
two TRACE officials accosted a naval officer for allegedly driving against
traffic around Joju Junction.The corps’ Zonal Commander, Mr. Ajibade Adekunle,
told our correspondent that the naval officer was not wearing uniform when he
was accosted.He said, “On May 11, 2012, around 7:45am, a blue Peugeot 406 with
registration number, DK 268 ABJ, was accosted by our operatives on patrol at
Joju Junction for driving against traffic.“The traffic officials, led by Commander Salabiu and the
provost commander, Onasoga Adekansi, interrogated the driver. But he neither
answered the questions nor introduced himself. Rather, he chose to abandon the
vehicle at the middle of the road.”PUNCH
Metro learnt
that after sometime, one of the traffic officials, Isa Atanda, unscrewed the
number plate of the vehicle and asked the naval officer to retrieve it at the
TRACE office.Our correspondent learnt that after a few minutes, scores of naval
personnel stormed TRACE office and beat up the corps men.Atanda said the naval
officials, who were armed, beat him to a pulp and threatened to kill him.He
said, “The naval officials were hitting me in the head with the butt of their
guns, saying ‘we will kill you, how dare you accost our commander in such a
manner.’“I begged them and explained that the driver was in plain clothes so I
couldn’t have known that he was a naval officer but they refused to stop. I
bled profusely as they treated me like a criminal.”The naval officials were said to have fired teargas
canisters and beat up everybody they found on the premises of TRACE.One of the
teargas canisters allegedly hit a pregnant woman, identified simply as Mrs.
Aduroja.Aduroja said, “The naval officials threw teargas canisters at us and
assaulted all of us. One of the naval officials, who threw the canisters, was a
sub-lieutenant with name tag, K.O Izokue. I had to be rushed to the hospital
for treatment.“I have developed a severe cough since then as well as sore throat.
I don’t know why the navy men acted in such a manner.”Another traffic official,
identified simply as Egunleti, as well as three officials of the state bureau
of transportation – Adetola Kazeem, Eniola Adeyemi and Bisi Coker – said the
naval officials ordered them to roll in mud inside the compound.They said the
naval men made away with their phones and the sum of N23,000.PUNCH Metro learnt that some hoodlums seized the
opportunity to steal impounded motorcycles from the TRACE premises.Aduroja said, “Some hoodlums stormed the premises after
the naval official had left and stole 11 motorcycles, two of which were new and
unregistered.”