A passenger of a commercial bus, who claimed to be a soldier, has been arrested after beating up a traffic policewoman on duty.
The man who posed as a soldier, Yemi Ayeni, aged 32 was dismissed from the Nigerian Army Depot in Zaria since year 2002 on mental health grounds after spending four months in training.
He was arrested by the Lagos State Police Command at Shibiri bus stop, Ilemba Hausa area, Ajangbadi, in the outskirt of Lagos.
Yemi Aiyeni, was apprehended following a viral video of the assault which occurred last week.
The police spokesperson in the state, SP Bala Elkana, in a statement on Friday stated, ‘Police arrested man in a viral video assaulting a policewoman,’ said Aiyeni took on the policewoman, Inspector Martina Onyeacho, who arrested the bus for reportedly obstructing traffic flow.
He said, “Ilemba Hausa Police Station received a distress call that a female police officer, Inspector Martina Onyeacho, on traffic control at Shibiri bus stop is in distress. A patrol team was promptly deployed in the scene to rescue her. Her assailant, Yemi Ayeni, 32, was arrested while the policewoman was quickly taken to a hospital for treatment. She sustained various degrees of injury from beating she received from the suspect.
“According to eyewitness accounts, the suspect who presented himself as a soldier was a passenger in a commercial bus that obstructed traffic flow on the busy road, waiting for passengers. The suspect was angered by the order issued by the traffic policewoman to the driver to move his vehicle away from the main road to the pave way for free flow of traffic.
“He claimed that the policewoman did not accord him the respect he deserved as a soldier sitting in front of the bus and that she was wrong to have challenged the driver while he was there. He followed up with physical assault on her, beating her with sticks, punching and kicking her.”
The SP Elkana says, he will be charged to court after further investigation.
