by Rachel Ogbu

A dispatch rider for Independent Communication Network Limited, publisher of PM News and The News magazine was knocked off his motorcycle by a police patrol vehicle along Agege Motor Road, Lagos on Sunday March 3, 2013.

Pius Fagbohun was allegedly at the Sogunle end of the road when the policemen attached to the Rapid Response Squad hit him, he sustained bruises on his face, hands and legs, said the policemen attempted to help him but when they noticed he worked for the press, they fled.

“Around 12pm, I was riding towards Ikeja from Oshodi when the vehicle hit me from the side. The policemen attempted to help but probably because they saw the logo on my bike, they thought I was a journalist and fled. Luckily for me, I fell into the gutter so oncoming vehicle did not crush me.

“I remained in the gutter for about 10 minutes until some sympathisers came to my aid. My motorcycle meets the specification of the state government so it wasn’t as if I was evading arrest when the incident occurred,” he said.

According to reports, Fagbohun alleged that while he was still in the gutter, another patrol vehicle with inscription, ‘Area G Command’, drove past but did not stop either to help him adding insult to injury.

Fagbohun, later got to the Bodet Hospital for treatment but could not remember details of either of the patrols cars. “When the incident occurred, all that was on my mind was survival, one cannot remember such details in the circumstance,” he said.

Spokesperson for the state police command, Ngozi Braide, said Fagbohun had to report the matter to the police station so it can be followed up from there. “I’ve called every Divisional Police Officer within that area and they have all said they are not aware of the incident since no one reported at any station. Let the victim report at the nearest police station and provide the police with all necessary information”, she said.