30th August, 2013
A Commandant of Nigeria Peace Corps, Mr. Ola Merotiwon, was battered by a commuter bus (danfo) driver while attempting to enforce the traffic law in Lagos State, western Nigeria.
The bus driver, John Peter, was later arrested, while Merotiwon was taken to a hospital for treatment..
The incident happened at about 10a.m. on Wednesday at Akowonjo round about in Shasha area of Lagos.
Merotiwon was not only beaten up, Peter allegedly used a spanner to break his right hand and inflicted inujries on his face.
The angry bus driver said he did so because the victim wanted to disrupt his daily returns to the owner of the bus.
According to Peter, who plies Egbeda-Oshodi route, that morning at the round about where the traffic light was not functioning, he was trying to link the road leading to Oshodi expressway when Merotiwon confronted him and said he had contravened the law.
Peter from Akwa Ibom State, said he initially pleaded with Merotiwon to allow him go since it was still morning and he refused and in the process fighting broke out and the commandant was injured.
He denied hitting Merotiwon with a spanner, rather he said he gave him a fist blow and he fell down on barbed wire.
Merotiwon said he was still shocked at what happened while trying to enforce a traffic law.
He said he was rescued by a team of policemen from Shasha Division who arrested Peter and took him to their station.
The bus driver was arraigned on two-count charge of felony and assault before Ejigbo Magistrate’s court. But he pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The presiding Magistrate, Mr P. E. Nwaka granted him bail in the sum of N50,000 with two sureties in like sum.
He was remanded in prison custody at Kirikiri pending when he will fulfill his bail conditions.
The matter was adjourned till 28 October, 2013.
—Cyriacus Izuekwe