Several passengers traveling from Abuja to Jos were left traumatized on Monday morning after witnessing a disturbing incident of police brutality involving officers and a commercial transport driver from Valgee Transport Services.
According to eyewitness accounts posted in a viral Twitter thread, the incident occurred near Maraba, a major transit point on the outskirts of Abuja.
The road had been blocked, forcing vehicles to turn around and drive against traffic to avoid the obstruction. The driver of the Valgee bus, like others, attempted to navigate a way out of the jam when police officers stopped the vehicle.
What started as a routine stop quickly escalated into chaos. The driver, who was reportedly trying to park the vehicle safely, was accosted by officers before he could exit or fully explain himself. “They didn’t give him a chance,” the witness wrote. “They just started hitting him.”
The passengers, still seated in the vehicle, were equally shocked by the unfolding scene. According to the thread, one officer allegedly attempted to unbuckle the seatbelt of a female passenger in the front seat and tried to slap her when she attempted to explain that she was not involved.
The situation grew even more tense when a visibly pregnant woman in the vehicle pleaded with the officers, only to be met with aggression. “They said they didn’t care and kept shouting at us to get down,” the witness recalled.
In the most alarming moment, the officers reportedly dragged the driver away without offering any explanation to the bewildered and frightened passengers.
“We are calling on the relevant authorities to investigate this abuse of power,” the witness wrote. “This kind of brutality cannot be normalized. Something must be done.”
The tweets have sparked outrage online, with many Nigerians decrying the continued cases of police misconduct despite public outcry and promises of reform in the aftermath of the #EndSARS protests.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the police authorities nor Valgee Transport Services have issued a formal statement regarding the incident.
