A Chinese man identified as Finn has accused the Nigerian Customs officers of illegally detaining and assaulting him, the incident took place on February 9th at Mobolaji Bank Anthony, Ikeja. According to him, He said:
On my way to pick up a business partner on Friday 9th
of February, at the Customs office area along Mobolaji Bank Anthony,
Ikeja. Three customs officers approached our vehicle, which had myself
(Chinese), driver (Nigerian) and another passenger (Nigerian) inside.
They shouted at the driver to park, while the driver was trying to find a
safe space on the road to park, one of the officers charged towards the
car angrily, threw a bottle water (which was partially opened) at the
driver through the window and the water splashed on everyone in the car.
While
the driver was trying to explain himself, the officer lunged forward in
an attempt to slap him, yelling at him for not stopping immediately,
without even giving him a chance to explain himself. At this point, the
driver was defenseless so I decided to step in and address the officers,
asking them “what is the crime?” as I didn’t understand what was going
on.
In
my attempt to defend the driver, the officers got infuriated then
shifted the aggression towards me, while justifying their actions and
trying to impose their power, ordered us out of the vehicle. We stepped
out of the car, at that point the aggression had turned to threat as
they threatened to deal with me for speaking up for the driver who is a
fellow Nigerian like them.
As
the argument got heated up, the officers pounced on me, subdued me and
placed handcuffs in my hands, dragging me into their office. At the
office, one of the officers approached me gave me several slaps on my
face (in the process my eye glasses broke), asking why I was shouting,
whether I think I am in my country. They pushed me into their office and
threatened to lock me up if I don’t keep quiet. I refused to keep quiet
and asked to contact my lawyer since they want to detain me in their
custody, but they rebuffed my request.
While
I was in their custody, they refused to let my driver and the other
passenger into their office. The officers who initially dragged me in
later disappeared after a long while of humiliation and detention,
another officer who was also in the office pleaded that I be released so
as to kill the matter once and for all. I refused and continued to
request to speak to my lawyer. I was later un-cuffed and asked to leave.
I
finally decided to leave the office after been physically assaulted,
verbally abused and illegally detained for no reason and not being able
to trace the officers that inflicted all these pains on me got me even
more devastated (though I can remember their faces clearly).
Additionally, I missed my business meeting for the next day, my glasses
were destroyed, got a red-swollen eyes and had to do eye check-up.
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