- Soldier Accused of Slapping Journalist During Traffic Incident in Lagos
- Says the confrontation began when a soldier stopped another tricycle rider and ordered him to climb onto his vehicle as punishment
- Fakoyejo claimed that two other soldiers approached and threatened to flog him, but onlookers again intervened
A journalist with TheCable, Olalekan Fakoyejo, has narrated how he was allegedly assaulted by a soldier following a disagreement over traffic control in the Ogba area of Lagos.
Eko Hot Blog reports that Fakoyejo, who works as Assistant Business Editor, said the incident happened on Saturday while he was travelling in a tricycle from Ikeja to Ogba.
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According to him, the situation escalated near Pleasant Event Centre, off Ajao Road, where soldiers were managing traffic.
He explained that the confrontation began when a soldier stopped another tricycle rider and ordered him to climb onto his vehicle as punishment, an action Fakoyejo believed was worsening the already tense traffic situation.
From his own tricycle on a nearby lane, he said he spoke up, pointing out that the action was contributing to the congestion. That comment, he claimed, drew the soldier’s attention.
Fakoyejo alleged that the soldier approached him, dragged him out of the tricycle, and began threatening him. The soldier reportedly ordered him to go and meet other colleagues nearby, a directive he refused, insisting he had done nothing wrong.
He said the situation quickly turned physical. While he was trying to explain himself to another soldier who had stepped in, the officer who initially confronted him allegedly slapped him without warning.
According to reports, a video captured by an eyewitness showed the soldier repeatedly pushing the journalist and attempting to strike him with a stick picked up from the ground. During the altercation, Fakoyejo’s phone reportedly fell and got damaged.
Bystanders eventually stepped in to calm the situation, urging the journalist to leave before things escalated further. As he was leaving, Fakoyejo claimed that two other soldiers approached and threatened to flog him, but onlookers again intervened.
As of the time of filing this report, efforts to reach the spokesperson of the Nigerian Army, Appolonia Anele, for a response were unsuccessful.
