An officer of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), reportedly assaulted a shop owner identified as Mrs Joy Owolabi, over parking space at Nanmwa Junction, a betting shop along Abattoir Area, Jos South Local Government, Plateau State.
The attack left her with injuries, including an eye swollen shut and other part of her body. The incident happened on Friday, few metres away from NSCDC office, the organisation is yet to apprehend the person who assaulted her.
According to the victim, Mrs Owolabi who narrated what happened said, “I was in my shop on the 2nd of September, 2022, at about noon, I saw two men in uniform, they were from the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps, they rode into my shop. One stood by the roadside and the second one came to the entrance of my shop.
“They came with an official motorcycle, when the man parked, blocking the entrance of my shop, I went and met him and said please, help me re-park this motorcycle because the way you parked, I cannot enter the shop.
“My neighbour who is the Naijabet Manager also came out and saw the way the man parked the motorcycle; he started pleading with the man to re-park it. As we were talking, the man punched me in my left eye and I fell to the ground.
“As I was trying to stand up, he punched me in the second eye. He removed the wire and started flogging me. They came in armed so people were afraid of coming to my rescue and when this thing was going on, people were just watching.
“After flogging me, the two of them left with the motorcycle. When they left, I locked my shop and went to their office which is not far from my shop to report.”
The victim also noted that before the Friday incident, the officer came sometime last month to the betting shop and parked his official motorcycle in front of her shop, blocking her entrance she called his attention to re-park the motorcycle but she was ignored and an argument ensued.
Another eyewitness said, “This is somebody’s wife that this boy beat like an animal because he is wearing a uniform. We were scared of going close for fear of being shot. It appears that the boy is on something, apart from getting justice for the woman, he should be fished out and punished to save the woman in his life. It could be that is the manner he is flogging them at home.”
The State NSCDC Public Relations Officer, DSC Madaki Longbit said he was not aware of the incident but would find out on Monday.
“Mrs Joy Owolabi, who is still receiving treatment at a hospital in Jos as she is feeling severe pains all over her body, was asked to return on Monday as all personnel on a motorcycle would be presented for her to “identify” who assaulted her.”
