It all happened on a beautiful Thursday afternoon, March 26th, 2015. Just two days to the Presidential election between President Goodluck Jonathan and Major General Muhammadu Buhari. I had an Indian client who I handled their company’s haulage and their office location is at Lekki.
A day before this incident (Wednesday), he had requested I joined him in their office boat that came to Grimaldi in PTML Apapa to go and drop my invoice in their office at Lekki so they can start processing my payment. But because it was already few minutes to 6pm, I declined that offer. And my reason was if I join him on the boat to Lekki that evening, how do I come back to Okota that night, because I dread Lagos traffic. So I opted to visit the office the next day being Thursday.
At about 12noon, I left my office in Apapa to go to Lekki and still because I dread traffic, I decided to go to under bridge Liverpool in Apapa to board a local boat (fibre boat). Fortunately, I got a guy who agreed to sail me to Lekki at the rate of 4k and I accepted and asked him to “fire down”. While sailing on the water between Apapa and Lekki, I was so glad going to drop off the invoice and get paid, money that ran into millions. The Joy was superb. But little did I know that Police was going to mess up that day for me.
We got to Lekki water ways, sadly the boat guy didn’t know the exact jetty to drop me off. It was my first time of visiting the office on a boat and I don’t know the jetty either. While we were navigating the water in search of the jetty, we saw from not too far a distance some Police officers sleeping and while others were chatting under the bridge, with their guns lying aimlessly beside them. When we saw them, we saw hope, we saw solution to our problem. Sadly, we didn’t know that the people we thought was hope and solution to us was going to be our nightmare. We sailed to them, greeted them and asked them that we are looking for so-and-so jetty and if they can direct us.
One of them told me that it’s not far from where we met them. That I can come down from the boat and cross to the other side of the road and take a bike to the street I mentioned. I came down, brought out my wallet to pay the boat rider, the next voice I heard was “If you move, I fire you”. Nothing suggested to me that I was the one the officer was talking to, because I didn’t commit any offense, so I continued with my wallet and next thing, the officer pointed the gun on my head and told me to hands up.
Immediately, I raised my two hands up to avoid being killed. They stripped me of my shirt and allowed me to wear only singlet and at gun point they asked the boat rider to come down and he was also stripped of his shirts. They used our belts to tie our hands and matched us on the street of Lekki. We didn’t know they have already called a police van from Maroko Police station. They matched us over the other side of the road as their van couldn’t make a U-turn because of heavy traffic. They drove us to the station. Handcuffed me and the guy and tied us on a bike that was parked at the station.
Remember, before I left my office at Apapa, I have informed my Indian client I was on my way. So he started calling me to know where I was. They refused to grant me access to my phone as my work ID card was the only item hanging on my neck. My work business card and invoice were inside the wallet they seized. So I was wondering with all these identifications, the police were still arresting me, because I could not place why I was being arrested.
My phone continued to ring until it became a nuisance, they brought the phone to me and behold it was my client. I informed him what was happening and in 10minutes he drove down to the station. He tried to explain to them that I was not a criminal, but one on a legitimate journey to make a living. But they wouldn’t listen. Eventually, they told him to go and come back by 8pm when the DPO would have returned from a security briefing he attended at Ikeja because of the election of Saturday. And it was around past 1pm. That was the longest 1pm to 8pm I’ve ever experienced in my lifetime.
Sadly, the DPO didn’t come back until it was 9pm. Around 5pm, they brought someone who they said is from investigation department of the Police to come and torture us to confess (confess to what)?? The officer came and saw me and the guy and asked if we are the ones they called him to come and torture? He shook his head and said to me he has been in the industry for over 15years that when he sees a criminal, he knows. He categorically told me that I am not a criminal, but that I should pray I come out of this alive.
He was the one who mentioned to us why we were arrested. He said the allegation is that we were among the armed robbers who robbed Lekki banks two weeks before that day. And that with such allegation, he doubts if we can go free. He asked me if I prayed before leaving my house that day, because according to him “una don carry problem wey no be una own”. Though, he promised not to torture us because his conscience would not allow him do that to Innocent people, but that he lack the powers to set us free. He encouraged us and asked we stay until the DPO is back.
One of the officers named AY was busy heating my head with his baton telling me I will rot in jail. While all these were happening, the real me would have started speaking English language and asking them why I was arrested, but that day, it was like a spirit of unusual calmness possessed me and I was just quiet. I attributed it to God, who knew if I had made a noise, they would kill me and show my dead body to the world on TV how they have killed one of the notorious armed robbers who robbed Lekki banks. So the spirit of God calmed me down and I am still thankful to God for that.
Around 9:30pm, the DPO requested they brought us in. He asked his men what happened, they told him we are among those who robbed banks in Lekki two weeks before that day. That was when tears came down my cheeks. Not because I was afraid, but why a human being can lie against his fellow man.
The DPO asked the boat rider why he was arrested, the guy wasn’t good expressing himself in English language, so he turned to me and asked what happened. I started by expressing my disappointment with his officers who saw my work ID, business card, and an invoice in my wallet and yet labeled me a criminal. I told him I never knew I was wrong going to ask them for direction. I told him I will never ask any Police officer for help even if I am distressed (I have maintained that up to this day). I was still talking, when he stood from his sit, came over where I was standing and placed his hands on my shoulder and started begging me to please forgive the shortcomings of his officers.
He asked them to let me go, but to still detain the boat guy and his reason was that his men said the boat resemble the boat those robbers used. Well, I couldn’t argue that with him. I was glad I have been asked to go, but was not happy because I was leaving behind a man I know was Innocent. But I couldn’t insist he must go with me, before they “change it for me”.
Now, hear the conclusion of the matter. It was already about 10:20pm, so the DPO mandated them to go and give me all my belongings so I can go. We all came out of the DPO’s office. He entered his car and drove off. My Indian client also entered his car after collecting the invoice and promised I will be credited the next day and drove off.
I followed the officers to the where my items were kept. Lo and behold, they told me I will bail myself with 50k and I was like, but that’s not what the DPO said before leaving. They said to me “that one concerns you”. They told me that they have all been posted to where they’re going to monitor election and that they are all leaving the next day Friday, since election is Saturday. They threatened to leave me in the cell and nobody will know where I am until they’re back and if the election turns bloody as many had thought the election will be (thanks to President Goodluck Jonathan for not allowing such), that I will remain in the cell until the country is calm.
Two things on my mind, my wife was heavily pregnant and could give birth in few days, I didn’t want her to be distressed. Secondly, I have never been arrested before, not to talk of entering the cell before. The fear of what could happen to my wife and how much I dread entering the cell, I started bargaining with them. They told me point blank, they’re not collecting anything less than 40k. I begged and begged, but they all left the office room for me. After about 30minutes, I started looking for them to give them so I can go home.
That night, no price was too much for me to pay and regain my freedom. One of them brought their bike and drove me to ShopRite, where I withdrew 50k and gave them 40k, before they handed over all my belongings to me.
I quickly booked Uber and drove down to my house to meet my wife who tried endlessly to reach me on the phone and has cried her eyes out. It was a great joy for us that night that I came home unhurt. The next morning, I spoke to some of my family members who requested that we go back to the station and sue them for gross violation of human rights.
I discouraged them from seeking any redress in court. Not because I won’t get justice, but because my spirit told me not to do so, since God has given me justice by preventing them from killing me and labelling me a criminal, which was their original plan, but God scuttled it.
The next day, I went to Liverpool under bridge Apapa to see if I will see the boat guy, I didn’t see him and couldn’t remember his name to inquire from his colleagues. With tears in my eyes, I left that place. Till today, I don’t know if he was released, jailed or killed.
This is My Lagos City Police Palava.
(c) Bright Ihedinobi Dike, Lagos
