In a deeply troubling incident that has surfaced on social media, a Bolt driver has recounted his shocking encounter with a member of the House of Representatives, Alex Ikwechegh.
The driver shared his story after the event, revealing a pattern of abusive behavior from the lawmaker, who was incorrectly identified as a senator.
The driver detailed the incident in an interview with social media critic VeryDarkMan, expressing his disbelief at the lawmaker’s conduct. “He called me monkey, rats, and other derogatory names,” the driver recounted, emphasizing the dehumanizing treatment he received. Following the confrontation at Ikwechegh’s residence, the driver explained how the situation escalated after he delivered a package containing snails.
After the verbal assault, Ikwechegh summoned police officers who forcibly took the driver to the police station. “They bundled me to the station and said I should not drive my car,” he explained, detailing how he was made to sit in the back of the police vehicle surrounded by officers. Upon arrival at the Maitama police station, the driver was not allowed to make phone calls, and the officers showed little interest in hearing his side of the story. “They didn’t ask me what happened; they were asking people that were not there,” he lamented.
The driver noted that even before showing the police the video evidence he recorded of the incident, the police officer in charge had already prejudged the situation, claiming he had been fighting with the lawmaker. “I kept mute when they said I fought him,” he said, pointing out the unfair treatment he faced.
The driver’s ordeal continued as he was kept waiting at the station for over two hours while the police officer, referred to as the Investigating Police Officer (IPO), left to conduct an investigation at Ikwechegh’s house. When the IPO returned, he questioned the driver about recording the incident, shifting the narrative in favor of the lawmaker. “He wants to change the narrative,” the driver stated, defending his decision to record the encounter. “Is there a part of the law that says I cannot record what somebody is doing to me?”
According to the driver, during this time, Ikwechegh arrived at the station, where he continued his verbal assault on the driver, calling him derogatory names and belittling him for being a Bolt driver. “I kept mute and just looked at him,” the driver recounted. “I have already had my fair share of trauma from him. I don’t want to encounter him again.”
The driver emphasized that, as a citizen, he should not be treated like a foreigner in his own country. He stated, “The problem you have now is that a poor man cannot speak. I am in Nigeria, and I should not be treated this way.” Despite the overwhelming stress from the encounter, he expressed his determination to seek justice. “I just discovered that he is not a senator; he does not have immunity,” he said, affirming his intention to pursue the case with the new police commissioner, Dissu.
In a poignant moment, the driver revealed the physical toll the confrontation took on him, stating, “He hit me on my chest several times.” As he reflected on the threats made by Ikwechegh, including claims of financial power to harm him, he underscored the severity of the situation. “He said he would pay 50 million Naira to make me disappear,” the driver recalled, illustrating the lawmaker’s intimidation tactics.
Despite the obstacles he faced from law enforcement and the trauma of the incident, the driver remains resolute. “I will pursue this case and believe that the law will take its course,” he affirmed.
As this story continues to unfold, it raises pressing questions about the accountability of public officials and the treatment of citizens in Nigeria.
