The Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigeria Air Force, Air Vice Marshal Edward Gabkwet confirmed this to SaharaReporters on Monday.
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has stated that it would investigate some of its officers who alleged assaulted a bolt driver, identified as Mr. Ojevwe Chris at Osubi town in Okpe Local Government Area of Delta state, southern Nigeria.
The Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigeria Air Force, Air Vice Marshal Edward Gabkwet confirmed this to SaharaReporters on Monday.
Ojevwe had narrated how some unidentified serving NAF officers flogged him with a cutlass until he passed out.
The incident happened on Sunday, March 17, 2024.
The victim told SaharaReporters that two officers were ordered by their superior who was allegedly drunk to flog him with cultlass.
He also alleged that the officer who was still holding bottle of Gordon alcoholic drink collected the cutlass from one of them and flogged him mercilessly when he was not satisfied with the way the boys were beating him.
“At early hours of this morning on the 17th of March, I was returning from work as a bolt driver, as I was about entering my street, which is the Delta State Governor’s Street Osubi town, the Air force men at the base ordered me to park and I stopped my car. Before I got there, they were beating two other guys, which I thought were thieves.
“When they approached me and ask who I was, I identified myself to them as a bolt driver and had closed from work heading to the house in the same Osubi town. They checked my car thoroughly, and the next thing they said was that I should join the people they were beating. I showed them my ID card and even the bolt drivers’ app. I explained to them that I had had surgery some months back, with a severe medical condition.
“Before I knew it, he told me to hang myself in a particular place in their bit and brought out a cutlass, flogging me mercilessly until I passed out. He was severely drunk, and he intensified the beating with the cutlass. At that point, some persons that escaped the same fate have called my wife, who ran down to the scene with my little baby after being on the ground almost lifeless close to my car.
“A human rights activist Israel Joe whom my wife had called, had to call one of the intelligence officers who allowed my wife and others to rush me to the hospital. Then I had become unconscious, laying on the ground from close to three hours,” he added.
However, while reacting to the incident, the Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigeria Air Force, Air Vice Marshal, Edward Gabkwet told SaharaReporters that the incident would be investigated.
“The Commanding Officer of the base has directed an investigation into the matter,” he said.
