Public anger has erupted following the alleged assault of Mr. Olalekan Fakoyejo, Assistant Business Editor with TheCable, by a soldier over a remark linked to traffic obstruction in Ikeja, Lagos State.
The incident reportedly occurred on Saturday, May 2, while Fakoyejo was travelling from Ikeja to Ogba aboard a commercial tricycle, popularly known as “Keke Napep.”
Eyewitness accounts indicated that soldiers were managing traffic around Pleasant Event Centre, located off Ajao Road, Ikeja, when the situation began to escalate.
At the scene, one of the soldiers was said to have stopped a tricycle rider and compelled him to carry an additional passenger as a form of punishment, a move that reportedly worsened the already congested traffic.
The tricycle conveying Fakoyejo was among those trapped in the resulting gridlock, which left many commuters stranded for some time.
Apparently frustrated by the situation, Fakoyejo was said to have remarked to fellow passengers that the soldier’s actions contributed to the traffic standstill.
A soldier, described as dark-complexioned, reportedly overheard the comment and immediately ordered Fakoyejo and other passengers to alight from the tricycle.
The soldier allegedly pulled the journalist aside and questioned him over what he termed as an audacious remark regarding the situation.
In his response, Fakoyejo maintained that he had merely expressed an opinion and did not engage in any wrongdoing.
The situation, however, escalated further as the soldier reportedly instructed the journalist to repeat his statement to other officers approaching the scene.
While attempting to explain himself to the arriving personnel, the same soldier allegedly struck Fakoyejo, escalating tensions at the location.
A video recorded by an eyewitness and circulated online showed the soldier pushing the journalist repeatedly and attempting to hit him with a stick picked from the ground.
During the altercation, Fakoyejo’s mobile phone reportedly fell and smashed on the road surface, leaving the device damaged.
Concerned bystanders were said to have intervened, urging the journalist to leave the area to prevent further harm as tensions continued to rise.
As he attempted to exit the scene, two other soldiers reportedly confronted him, issuing threats before members of the public stepped in to calm the situation.
The incident has sparked fresh concerns, coming just days after the reported killing of a National Youth Service Corps member by a soldier’s bullet in Abuja, raising questions about the conduct of security personnel.
NAN
