Court Remands Truck Driver, Assistant, For Assault On VIO

By: Kalu N. Emetu

Luck ran out of one Mansur Said, a Truck Driver with the registration number KEF 972 XE and his Assistant, simply identified as Husaini when both attempted to escape with a Vehicle Inspection Officer (VIO) of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS), when the Officer tried to arrest them for violating traffic rule.

According to Engr. Walter Ilo, the Kugbo Area Commander of the Directorate, the Driver was accosted for violating truck timing regulation hour when one of the operatives, Dauda Hussaini was directed to lead him to the Command where the vehicle was to wait for an hour till the 10 am operational time.

Instead of the Truck Driver to clear at the Command as directed, he sped off, only to be trapped in the traffic about 500 metres away.

Engr. Ilo said that the Driver was not bothered as he brought out two machetes, handed one to his Assistant for them to descend on the Traffic Personnel for performing his official assignment that morning.

The Area Commander added that it took the intervention of the men of the Gaurds Brigade and other personnel of the Directorate to rescue the Operative.

“The matter was reported to the Karu Police Division, where the DPO did not waist time in apprehending the culprits and subsequently charged the matter to the Karu Area Court,” Engr. Ilo further said.

The Area Commander disclosed that three count charge was preferred against the suspects; including dangerous driving and resisting arrest; criminal assault on Officer of the law and obstructing the Officer from carrying out his lawful duty; as well as display of dangerous weapons.

According to him, the suspects were granted bail on the first count charge with the sum of N800,000 (Eight Hundred Thousand Naira) with two (2) sureties, who must be resident within the Court jurisdiction and for the ‘b’ and ‘c’ charges, the prosecutor, Sergent Ade argued against the bail application which was rejected paving the way for the suspects to be remanded in the prison custody until the next hearing fixed for 6th November.