A soon-to-wed couple, Vershima Mker and Lami Iorvihi, have filed a lawsuit against military personnel over an alleged assault in Abuja. The couple claims that they were beaten, detained, and subjected to inhumane treatment by the officers after an encounter in the Gwarinpa area of the Federal Capital Territory.
According to a statement shared by broadcast journalist Rufia Oseni on Tuesday, the incident occurred when the couple, while driving along 3rd Avenue, was approached by a military convoy.
Mker and Iorvihi, intending to make way for the convoy, reportedly found themselves obstructed by roadside vendors.
Despite their attempt to park, they were allegedly confronted by Major General G.S. Mohammed and Corporal A. Abubakar, who proceeded to assault them.
A viral video circulating on social media captured part of the incident.
In the footage, Mker can be heard repeatedly asking, “How did I bash your car?” followed by “Oh God!”
The officers briefly left the car, only to return with a horsewhip. Mker was dragged out of his car and was later seen holding his head in a manner that appeared to show he had been hurt.
“Jesus! Jesus! He is not feeling fine,” Iorvihi said as she pleaded with the officers.
The officers were captured using the horsewhip on Mker, and Iorvihi was also heard saying she had sustained injury from the clash.
One of the officers asked her to hand him the phone. The officers were heard struggling to collect the phone, and eventually, the footage went blank.
According to their lawyer, Tom Uja, the incident occurred while the intending couple was driving along the 3rd Avenue in Gwarinpa, Abuja.
Speaking in an interview with our correspondent on Tuesday, Uja said part of their marital preparations took them to the location, adding that the lovers tried to make way for the general’s convoy but couldn’t because of the roadside traders.
Uja explained, “Part of their marital arrangements took them to Gwarinpa. As they were driving out along the 3rd Avenue, this general and his convoy were behind them. As soon as they heard the sound of the siren, they trafficated to the right to park.
“But, some roadside vendors were selling many things, so they needed to go past them. This was within seconds before they would park. As soon as they drove past the three or four roadside sellers, they parked their vehicle.
“The general and his convoy now overtook them and went and blocked them. His anger was that they didn’t park immediately when they heard the siren. Without waiting for any explanation, they descended into beating the young man’s eye.”
The lawyer further alleged that the military officers beat the about-to-wed couple, inflicted injuries, handcuffed them, and put them in their boot. Uja added, “They handcuffed them after beating them. They put them inside the boot of one of their cars and took them to the police station. The DPO had to call the General when the man was crying in pain and needed treatment. The lady also suffered a fracture on his hand as a result of the incident.
“They were made to write an apology letter to the general under duress before they were allowed to go on bail. As I speak, doctors are battling to save that eye. After my petition was sent, the general has been threatening my clients.”
In their lawsuit, the duo demanded “immediate payment of N150m compensation for the assault, inhuman treatment, and injury caused to (A) Master Vershima Mker and (B) Miss. Lami Iorvihi.”
The lawsuit reads partly: “We are solicitors to MASTER. VERSHIMA MKER and MISS. LAMI JENNIFER IORVIHI on whose full and firm instructions we demand for the immediate dismissal of Major General G.S. Mohammed and Corporal A.
Abubakar and the sum of N150 million for their inhuman treatment of our clients by beating, subjecting them to abuse, wounding and causing them to be detained at the Police without them committing any known crime.
“We demand for the immediate dismissal of Major General G.S. Mohammed and Corporal A. Abubakar and the sum of N150 million for their inhuman treatment of our clients by beating, subjecting them to abuse, wounding, and causing them to be detained at the Police without they committing any known crime,” the petition dated November 11 and addressed to the Acting Chief of Army Staff partly read.
“Our clients are university graduates who are intending to get married soon and as part of their preparations, were in Gwarinpa visiting relations and intending guests.
“While driving on 3rd Avenue, Gwarinpa the said Major General G.S. Mohammed driving with his convoy also joined the road with sirens blaring from behind.
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“Despite the crowded sideways, our clients made haste and parked for the Major General. Yet the Major General G.S. Musa and his convoy blocked our clients and started beating and insulting them in a way that even prisoners of war are never treated.
“The video coverage and pictures released to us by our clients show Gen. G.S. Musa personally beating up our clients alongside Corporal A. Abubakar.
“The brutal army general and his details handcuffed our clients, pushed them into the boot of one of their vehicles, and took them to the Gwarpa Police Station where the Army General ordered our clients to be detained until he would give word for their release.
“And true to his word, our clients were detained for 8 hours until General G.S. Musa personally came to the Police Station with armed soldiers and compelled our clients to write an apology to him under duress before they were released.”
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army has ordered an immediate investigation into the altercation. A statement signed by the Director of Army Public Relations, Onyema Nwachukwu, read:
“The attention of the Nigerian Army (NA) has been drawn to a viral audio-visual recording circulating on social media platforms, purportedly showing a senior Army officer and 2 other soldiers in an altercation with a man and woman within the Abuja metropolis.
“The circumstances leading to this incident are not clear at the moment. However, the Acting Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, has ordered an immediate investigation to unravel the true circumstances surrounding this altercation.
“The NA remains committed to serving and protecting all law-abiding Nigerians as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Therefore, we urge the public to be rest assured that due diligence will be applied to reach a logical conclusion on this matter.”
