There was
confusion at a filling station along the Murtala Muhammed International Airport
Road after a female police inspector attached to the Airport Police Command and
identified as Mrs. Florence Anih, was slapped by a Nigerian Air Force lance
corporal.
The lance
corporal, who was in a truck marked, Rotary Group 205, was identified as Friday
Zadiel.
Our correspondent
learnt that the incident happened last Wednesday. Zadiel was said to be with
another officer, who did not wear a name tag. Punch learnt from an eyewitness that the victim had driven into a
branch of Forte Oil Filling Station on Airport Road to fill her fuel tank and
discovered that there was a queue, which she joined.
However,
when it came to her turn, the station attendant saw that her fuel tank was not
directly facing the pump. She was
reportedly asked to turn her car for the tank to be in direct contact with the
nozzle.
It was
learnt that as she tried to turn as the attendant advised, Zadiel saw her and
thought she was attempting to beat the queue. He was said
to have ordered her to go back to the end of the queue.
In the
ensuing argument, Zadiel, who was in full military outfit, allegedly slapped
Florence.
He was also
said to have used his hand to break the windscreen of the policewoman’s car.
A witness,
who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said Zadiel and his colleague had
earlier been given preferential treatment and allowed to fill the tank of their
vehicle because they claimed to be on a special mission.
He said,
“The woman was on the queue and was not putting on a uniform. When it got to
her turn, her fuel tank was at the other side of where the nozzle was.
“She was
asked to turn and as she moved forward, the person behind her quickly filled
the space and the attendant pleaded with the woman to be patient.
“He attended
to the person behind her and was about to attend to her when the air force man
came from the back and said the policewoman would not buy the fuel. The air
force man said he was on a special assignment.”
The manager
of the station reportedly intervened and ordered that the woman be served.
The witness
added that Florence, however, said the officer and his colleague should be
attended to since they were on a special assignment.
“After they
were served, the air force man insisted that the woman should go back to the
end of the queue.
“He started
banging on her car and the woman challenged him. So, he told her, ‘you are
stupid’ and the woman also replied him, ‘you are also stupid’ and that was how
he slapped her.”
It was
learnt that the assault resulted in a brawl.
PUNCH Metro
was told that after the duo were separated, the air force officer, with his
fist, hit the victim’s car windscreen and smashed it.
Florence’s
husband, Mr. Justin Anih, said he had been humiliated by the incident.
He said
efforts to get the military authorities to punish Zadiel had been abortive.
He said, “I
saw the base commander, who said it was indiscipline in the service and the man
who beat my wife will be made to answer for it.
“I also
spoke with the unit commander, who said he had sent people to investigate, but
nothing has been done.
“I am bitter
that my wife could be beaten and humiliated in public without provocation.
“There is no
law in the country that permits him to do that to my wife.”
The Command
Public Relations Officer, Logistics Command, Nigerian Air Force, Joel Abioye,
confirmed the incident.
He added
that the matter had been resolved by the Divisional Police Officer in charge of
the woman division.
He said, “I
have been informed that there was a minor altercation at the filling station
between the police inspector and one of our officers.
“But the
DPO, under whom the policewoman was working came and the matter was resolved
amicably.”
The
Commissioner of Police, Airport Command, Wahab Salau, did not pick his calls
and had yet to reply to a text message on the matter.
This is the
second time a female police officer would be assaulted by an air force officer
on the Airport Road.
No comments:
Post a Comment