Policemen knock down dispatch rider, flee

Pius Fagbohun

A team of policemen attached to the Rapid Response Squad allegedly knocked down a dispatch rider with their patrol vehicle along Agege Motor Road, Lagos on Sunday.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the victim, Pius Fagbohun, who is a dispatch rider for Independent Communication Network Limited, publisher of PM News and The News magazine, was on his motorcycle at the Sogunle end of the road when the policemen’s vehicle hit him.

Fagbolohun, who sustained bruises on his face, hands and legs, said the policemen attempted to help him but when they noticed the company’s logo on his motorcycle, they fled.

He said, “Around 12pm, I was riding towards Ikeja from Oshodi when the vehicle hit me from the side. The policemen attempted to help but probably because they saw the logo on my bike, they thought I was a journalist and fled. Luckily for me, I fell into the gutter so oncoming vehicle did not crush me.

“I remained in the gutter for about 10 minutes until some sympathisers came to my aid. My motorcycle meets the specification of the state government so it wasn’t as if I was evading arrest when the incident occurred.”

The dispatch rider alleged that while he was still in the gutter, a patrol vehicle that bore the inscription, ‘Area G Command’, drove by and the policemen inside did not attempt to come to his aid.

Fagbohun, who was later taken to Bodet Hospital, said it was unfortunate that policemen, who are paid to protect lives, could act in such a callous manner.

When asked if he was able to get the vehicle registration number of the errant policemen, he said, “When the incident occurred, all that was on my mind was survival, one cannot remember such details in the circumstance.”

When contacted on the telephone, the spokesperson for the state police command, Ngozi Braide, said Fagbohun’s allegation would be difficult to prove because the matter had not been reported to any police station and the vehicle number of the said police patrol vehicle was not provided.

“I’ve called every Divisional Police Officer within that area and they have all said they are not aware of the incident since no one reported at any station. Let the victim report at the nearest police station and provide the police with all necessary information”, she said.

PUNCH