A commercial driver on Friday knocked down an officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Victor Fayemi, while trying to escape arrest after defying the lockdown order in Abuja.
The PUNCH reports that the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), had imposed a lockdown order in Abuja, Lagos and Ogun states for another two weeks.
Media Assistant to the NSCDC Commandant General, Ekunola Gbenga, confirmed this to our correspondent.
He said the officer was hit while verifying if the Taxi driver had an exemption tag at a roadblock mounted along Gwarinpa/Kado road area of Abuja.
Gbenga said the NSCDC official, an Assistant Superintendent of Corps, secured varying degrees of injury.
In a statement on Friday, Gbenga said, “ASC Fayemi attached to Federal Capital Territory escaped death when a Volkswagen Golf Commercial driver escaping arrest ran over him along Gwarinpa/Kado road area of Abuja.
“He was hit by the commercial driver who was trying to evade arrest by the security officers on duty as he defied COVID-19 lockdown measures put in place by the federal government.
“Security agencies which comprise Civil Defence Officers mounted roadblocks in Gwarinpa/Kado road in an attempt to prevent the taxi’s from operating.
“While the officer tried to stop the driver for questioning, he ran over the Civil Defence Officer and knocked him down.”
Gbenga noted that the officer had been hospitalised, adding that the driver was arrested and detained at a police station in Abuja.
He said, “After being knocked, he (Fayemi) became unconscious and was rushed to Maitama District Hospital where he was promptly attended to.
“After specialised medical treatment at Maitama District Hospital, he was moved into a private hospital where he is currently receiving further treatment.
“The erratic driver was later arrested by the Joint Task Team, both the driver and the vehicle were taken into the custody of Nigeria Police for further investigation and prosecution.”
The Commandant General, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps Abdullahi Gana Muhammadu, was quoted as condemning the action of the driver.
“The behaviour of the driver was unacceptable in the eyes of law enforcement,” Muhammadu said.
He advised people “not to attempt to evade arrest under any circumstances, especially at this critical period when the world is faced with the challenge of COVID-19.
“Government needs the support and cooperation of all stakeholders in order to win the war of coronavirus.”
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