Police Brutality: Another Lawyer, Thompson Oladotun Narrates His Ordeal

Another lawyer by the name Thompson Oladotun has
narrated his own ordeal in the hand of an officer of the Nigerian
Police Force. According to the story made available to
TheNigerialawyer, he was assualted by officers of the Nigerian
Police Force after he refused unseating himself for one of officers
who demanded for the seat he was occupying.

Hear his story:

”On the 21st of February, between the time of 12pm and 1pm, I
was on my way to Lekki phase one. I entered a commercial bus
(danfo) which plies the lekki, Obalende route. I was feeling a bit
queasy as a result of fever, so I decided to take a seat by the
window side to enjoy the fresh air that would come in. I entered
the bus and went for the last roll seat. I sat on the right corner
,awaited the bus to move.

About 15 minutes later, a young man in his late twenties or
early 30s dressed in green mobile police uniform, who goes by the
name MUHAMMAD MA approached me, and commanded me to move away from
where I was seated for him to seat and I refused. I was surprised a
police officer would conduct himself in such manner with his manner
of approach. I politely told him he could sit next to me or seat of
take a seat in the next roll, as there was still seat that will
conveniently seat three other people. He responded by telling me,
how dare me challenge him that, he wanted where I was seated and I
refused to move even after explaining to him I wanted the fresh
air, as I was not feeling fine. Before I could say anything
further, he landed a heavy slap on my face. It was at this point an
altercation started.

He got down from the bus and I got down too, and I started
asking him what gave him right to slap me over a seat.  The
other passengers started reprimanding him, and told him to take
another seat. I demanded an apology from him. A man dressed in a
millitary camouflage appeared from no where, who I believe is one
of his cronies; came and instead of reprimanding this officer for
his conduct, joined him in raining verbal assaults on me. Instead
of the police man to be reasonable, he went ahead to slap me
continually. He slapped me over ten times until I fell on the
floor. He kicked me  that I became so confused and frustrated.
As he entered the bus, as the bus was already moving, I remembered
I still had my laptop in the back seat.

Thompson Oladotun

I managed to catch up with the bus to retrieve my laptop and
bag. He told the bus not to stop but I managed to fetch my bag from
the back seat, it was at this point that I was trying to seat that
he pushed me off the bus, and I fell of the road again, this time
the bus crushed my left lower leg and broke it. The police and the
bus driver left me to my fate and took off.  I was taken home
by sympathetic motorcyclists and agbero, who witnessed this police
brutality… I was thereafter taken to National Orthopaedic Hospital
in igbobi for treatment.”’

From the information gathered by Thompson Oladotun, the police
man is said to be a staff of the Nigerian Police Force at Obalende
Zone 2 headquarters in Lagos.

Mr. Oladotun is therefore demanding for justice for the
violation of his dignity by these notorious men of the Nigerian
Police.

TheNigerialawyer recalls that the issue of police brutality of
legal practitioners is one that has become a major concern in the
legal community.

Another lawyer by the name Thompson Oladotun has
narrated his own ordeal in the hand of an officer of the Nigerian
Police Force. According to the story made available to
TheNigerialawyer, he was assualted by officers of the Nigerian
Police Force after he refused unseating himself for one of officers
who demanded for the seat he was occupying.

Hear his story:

”On the 21st of February, between the time of 12pm and 1pm, I
was on my way to Lekki phase one. I entered a commercial bus
(danfo) which plies the lekki, Obalende route. I was feeling a bit
queasy as a result of fever, so I decided to take a seat by the
window side to enjoy the fresh air that would come in. I entered
the bus and went for the last roll seat. I sat on the right corner
,awaited the bus to move.

About 15 minutes later, a young man in his late twenties or
early 30s dressed in green mobile police uniform, who goes by the
name MUHAMMAD MA approached me, and commanded me to move away from
where I was seated for him to seat and I refused. I was surprised a
police officer would conduct himself in such manner with his manner
of approach. I politely told him he could sit next to me or seat of
take a seat in the next roll, as there was still seat that will
conveniently seat three other people. He responded by telling me,
how dare me challenge him that, he wanted where I was seated and I
refused to move even after explaining to him I wanted the fresh
air, as I was not feeling fine. Before I could say anything
further, he landed a heavy slap on my face. It was at this point an
altercation started.

He got down from the bus and I got down too, and I started
asking him what gave him right to slap me over a seat.  The
other passengers started reprimanding him, and told him to take
another seat. I demanded an apology from him. A man dressed in a
millitary camouflage appeared from no where, who I believe is one
of his cronies; came and instead of reprimanding this officer for
his conduct, joined him in raining verbal assaults on me. Instead
of the police man to be reasonable, he went ahead to slap me
continually. He slapped me over ten times until I fell on the
floor. He kicked me  that I became so confused and frustrated.
As he entered the bus, as the bus was already moving, I remembered
I still had my laptop in the back seat.

Thompson Oladotun

I managed to catch up with the bus to retrieve my laptop and
bag. He told the bus not to stop but I managed to fetch my bag from
the back seat, it was at this point that I was trying to seat that
he pushed me off the bus, and I fell of the road again, this time
the bus crushed my left lower leg and broke it. The police and the
bus driver left me to my fate and took off.  I was taken home
by sympathetic motorcyclists and agbero, who witnessed this police
brutality… I was thereafter taken to National Orthopaedic Hospital
in igbobi for treatment.”’

From the information gathered by Thompson Oladotun, the police
man is said to be a staff of the Nigerian Police Force at Obalende
Zone 2 headquarters in Lagos.

Mr. Oladotun is therefore demanding for justice for the
violation of his dignity by these notorious men of the Nigerian
Police.

TheNigerialawyer recalls that the issue of police brutality of
legal practitioners is one that has become a major concern in the
legal community.