A journalist with TheCable, Olalekan Fakoyejo, has shared a disturbing account of being physically attacked by a soldier following a minor traffic disagreement in the Ogba area of Lagos State. The incident, which occurred on Saturday, has sparked outrage over the conduct of military personnel in civilian settings.
Fakoyejo, who serves as Assistant Business Editor at the online news platform, recounted the events in an interview on Monday. He was traveling in a tricycle from Ikeja to Ogba when he encountered soldiers managing traffic near Pleasant Event Centre on Ajao Road.
The altercation began when a soldier ordered another tricycle driver to climb onto the roof of his vehicle as a form of punishment. Fakoyejo voiced his concern that this action was worsening the traffic situation. The soldier overheard his remark and forcibly dragged him out of the tricycle, threatening him and demanding that he report himself to other soldiers nearby.
Fakoyejo refused to comply, asserting that he had done nothing wrong and that the soldier had no authority to make such a demand. The soldier persisted in pushing him backward toward his colleagues. When a colleague approached to speak with Fakoyejo, the original soldier suddenly slapped him across the face.
An eyewitness video recorded the soldier repeatedly pushing the journalist and attempting to strike him with a cudgel picked from the ground. During the scuffle, Fakoyejo’s mobile phone fell and sustained a cracked screen.
Bystanders eventually intervened, urging the journalist to leave the area to avoid further harm. As he departed, two other soldiers approached and threatened to flog him, but onlookers appealed for calm.
Efforts to obtain a response from the Nigerian Army spokesperson, Appolonia Anele, were unsuccessful at the time of this report. The incident has raised concerns about the conduct of security personnel involved in traffic management and the need for accountability.