Soldier allegedly canes, kicks driver for “driving recklessly” in Lagos
An unidentified soldier reportedly rained strokes of cane on a LAGBUS driver on Thursday for “driving rough”.
The driver, Idowu Kolawole, had reportedly swerved to avoid hitting a commercial bus, popularly known as Danfo, in which the soldier was riding.
The soldier was said to have ordered the Danfo driver to go after Kolawole’s bus.
He was subsequently crossed on top of the Marina bridge in Lagos.
The soldier allegedly alighted from the bus, snatched a cane from some motor unionists in the area, and jumped onto the LAGBUS.
He allegedly beat Kolawole mercilessly with the cane and launched a kick into the driver’s side.
Terrified passengers of the LAGBUS, which was headed for Oshodi from Marina, pleaded on the driver’s behalf.
“Are the people in that Danfo bus not human beings?” the soldier reportedly said before letting go of his “scapegoat”.
The passengers however said Kolawole was faultless in the incident. The Danfo driver had been the one who was guilty of reckless driving, they said.
“The man just used his power on me. If he had been inside the Lagbus vehicle and witnessed what the Danfo driver did, he would have jumped down to beat the driver,” The Nation quotes Kolawole is quoted as saying.
“The driver did not watch the road before he moved so I was forced to swerve to avoid hitting the car on the fast lane on my left. Because of him, the soldier beat me and even used his boot to kick my side. Unfortunately, I did not see his (the soldier’s) name well enough to identify him.”
In Lagos, Force men are popular for claiming “staff” anytime they board commercial vehicles, so as to avoid paying fares.
