• As protesters call for justice
Kingsley Abavo (Managing Editor), Benin
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Four officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have been put in police detention for the alleged death of a Bolt driver identified as Henry Osarodion Osemwenkhai, in Benin, Edo State.
On Thursday, 6 January, 2025 members of the Bolt Drivers Association carried placards of various inscriptions; 'Enough is Enough, Bolt Drivers are not Slave; 'Enough of the Brutality by Security Agents; 'We need justice for the death of Bolt driver; Henry a.k.a the Lord is Good' amongst many others.
They protested the death of Osemwenkhai accusing the NSCDC officials for being responsible.
On behalf of the protesters, Festus Nwabuzo who claimed to be a witness at the events which led to the death; spoke on behalf of the protesters at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Secretariat.
He narrated; on Tuesday, 4 January, 2025 Osemwenkhai dropped off a passenger at De-Kaso Hotel in Benin, where he had an altercation with a young man who quarrelled he was almost knocking him down with his car.
The quarrel degenerated into fisticuff as other young men joined in beating him up.
In the prevailing situation, the deceased attempted to snap a photo of the number plate of the car the young men were driving.
But the officials of the NSCDC said to have been called in by the young men took over the beating, and deflated the tyres of the victim's cab.
After beating him to stupor, they took him away to their office and threw him in detention.
Somehow, Osemwenkhai was able to reach his co-drivers who came to intervene, he said.
But he unfortunately breathed his last Wednesday night; prompting the protest which demanded justice.
Osemwenkhai left behind a wife and two children; three years and three months old.
In reaction; spokesperson, Edo Police Command Joel Yamu confirmed the incident saying; four officials of the NSCDC are already in its custody.
According to him, Osemwenkhai on Tuesday, lodged a report of the incident in the police station and he was given police medical permission form to enable him get medical attention.
But unfortunately, the command received the information of his death while he was awaiting the laboratory result of the test done on him; Wednesday night.
The young men who started the beating which led to the death of Osemwenkhai were unidentified, he said.
"... Unfortunately, on Wednesday, we received a call that he (Osemwenkhai) died in the house around 1800 hours while awaiting the test result of his scan.
"So, as I speak to you the corpse has been deposited in the hospital mortuary and we have four officers of the Civil Defence Corps in police custody.
"And the State Commissioner of Police has directed an immediate detailed investigation to unravel the circumstances that led to the death of the young man."
Asked if there was arrest of any officials of De-Kaso Hotel, he said: "There was no complaint lodged against any of the Hotel management staff.
"The report was against a young man and his friends who are unidentified, and the Civil Defence Corps officers."
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