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A tanker driver, simply identified as Adekola was in the early hours of Saturday (today) beaten to stupor by a naval official for giving him (the naval rating) N200.00 out of the requested N15,000:00 bribe.
Adekola, who confirmed the incident in an interview with TNG said the incident happened at about 12 am on Saturday. He said he was accosted by the naval rating and was asked to pay a N15,000:00 bribe which he couldn’t afford at the time.
This infuriated the naval rating who later descended heavily on the driver.
“I was driving towards MTN Service Center Along Oshodi Apapa Expressway this morning when a naval official stopped me. He demanded N15,000:00 which to me was illegal and outrageous.
What I had left on me was just a N200.00 note which I offered to give him. He immediately dragged me out of the vehicle and started beating me mercilessly. It was dark and there was no one to call to for help. I’m not sure I’ll be able to see well again with the way he punctured my eyes.
The few people around shouted from a distance that I should start the vehicle and zoom off before he shoots at me’, Adekola said.
Adekola was later rushed to the hospital for proper treatment.
Officials of the Petrol Tankers Drivers Association also confirmed the incident to TNG and called on government to save them from harassment of some overzealous law enforcement agents who requested illegal monies from them at almost all the junctions and checking points.
“He (referring to Adekola) was almost beaten to death in the middle of the night for refusing to pay an illegal fee. That is how they collect it from truck drivers. We had to rush him to the hospital this morning. If we drive in the day time, they say we are causing accidents. Now that we are driven at midnight, Navy wants to kill us again’, an official of the PTD told TNG in a telephone interview on Saturday.
However, efforts by TNG to reach the spokesperson of the Nigerian Navy for comments was unsuccessful as at the time of filing this report.