Woman brutalised by NSCDC personnel over parking space at Jos betting spot
A yet-to-be-identified personnel of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, who frequents a betting spot, on Friday, assaulted a shop owner, Mrs. Joy Owolabi, at the Nanmwa Junction, Abattoir Area, Jos South local Government, Plateau State.
The attack left her with injuries, including an eye swollen shut.
The incident happened few metres away from NSCDC office, and although the victim had reported the incident, the organisation is yet to apprehend the personnel and his accomplice.
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It was gathered that sometime last month, the said personnel (whose name Mrs. Owolabi does not know) came to a betting spot next to the victim’s shop and parked his official motorcycle in front of her shop, blocking the entrance.
She called his attention to it, urging him re-park the motorcycle, but she was ignored and an argument ensued.
Friday betting and beating
Last Friday, the personnel returned to the betting shop with his colleague and parked his motorcycle in the manner that the woman earlier complained about.
The incident led to an exchange of words between him and the shop owner.
He punched the victim, pushed her to the ground and started flogging her with a wire, as neighbours and passers-by watch helplessly. None could rescue the woman as both NSCDC officers were armed.
‘I couldn’t enter my shop’
Narrating her ordeal, Mrs. Owolabi said, “I was in my shop on September 2. At about noon, I saw two men in uniform, from the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps; they rode into my shop. One stood by the roadside and the second one came to the entrance of my shop.
“They came with an official motorcycle. When the man parked, blocking the entrance of my shop, I told him please, help me re-park this motorcycle because the way it is parked, I cannot enter the shop.
“My neighbour, who is the betting manager also came out and saw the way the man parked the motorcycle; he started pleading with the man to re-park it.
“As we were talking, the man punched me in my left eye and I fell to the ground.
“As I was trying to stand up, he punched me in the second eye. He started flogging me with a wire.
“They came in armed so people were afraid of coming to my rescue. So when this thing was going on, people were just watching.
“After flogging me, the two of them left with the motorcycle. When they left, I locked my shop and went to their office, which is not far from my shop, to report.”
Eyewitness
Another shop owner, who did not want to be mentioned, added, “This is somebody’s wife that this boy beat like an animal because he is wearing a uniform.
“We were scared of going close for fear of being shot.
“It appears that the boy is on something. Apart from getting justice for the woman, he should be fished out and punished to save the woman in his life.
“It could be that is the manner he is flogging her at home.”
He appealed that the NSCDC should not sweep the incident under the carpet in the guise of not being able to identify the culprit.
“The owner of the (betting) shop that he used to enter can help to identify him,” the eyewitness added.
At the time of this report, the victim was still receiving treatment at a hospital in Jos.
Meanwhile, it was also gathered that the victim was asked to return on Monday (tomorrow) as all personnel on a motorcycle would be presented for her to “identify” who assaulted her.
However, the State NSCDC Public Relations Officer, DSC Madaki Longbit, said he was not aware of the incident but would find out on Monday.
His words: “I was not informed. Friday was a busy day for us and I was not at the Command.
“But give me till Monday (tomorrow) to confirm, I will get back to you.”
(Vanguard)
